The Opening 2015: Each Top-25 Class' Most Important Target at Beaverton
The massive high school football showcase known as The Opening is on tap for July 5-10 at Nike's world headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, where hundreds of top prospects from the 2016 recruiting class will compete against one another in various drills and events.
Many of the players on display have already committed to colleges for next year, but a good number are still undecided and hoping a strong performance at The Opening will push them toward the right school. It works both ways, actually, as nearly all of the top programs in the nation will be keeping close tabs on the competition and on specific players, especially those whom they've targeted for the future but have yet to lock down with a commitment.
Using 247Sports' latest recruiting rankings, here is a look at the most important target that every top-25 class will be paying the most attention to at The Opening.
25. Clemson
1 of 25
Parker Boudreaux, OG
Height, weight: 6'4", 287 lbs
Ranking: 335th
The offensive line was a critical recruiting area for Clemson in 2015, and that remains the case for 2016. The Tigers have two tackles committed already, but an interior blocker like Boudreaux would be a huge get.
They're not alone, as the Orlando native has 70 offers but recently trimmed his list down to five finalists. Clemson made the cut, along with Florida, Georgia Southern, Notre Dame and Oklahoma.
Bleacher Report's Tyler Donohue gives Clemson a 3-1 shot to land Boudreaux, with Notre Dame being the favorite at 2-1. Boudreaux told Donohue that "the people in Clemson care for you and are super friendly and they will treat you right and it makes it feel more like home when there is a family atmosphere."
UPDATE: Boudreaux announced his commitment to Notre Dame on Thursday via a video produced by Bleacher Report.
24. Iowa
2 of 25
Obi Eboh, CB
Height, weight: 6'1 ½", 184 lbs
Ranking: 401st
Iowa already has 20 commitments for 2016, one fewer than it signed last year. It's an impressive group but lacks a signature prospect, though it's still in line to be one of Kirk Ferentz's best hauls in years.
A player like Eboh would help solidify the Hawkeyes' high ranking, though the Texas defensive back prospect has plenty of other suitors who will be watching him at The Opening. Arkansas, Baylor, Duke, South Carolina and Texas A&M are among his top choices, and he's recently added offers from Iowa State and Oklahoma.
Eboh would rank as Iowa's top commit if he were to come on board, as none of its current pledges rates better than No. 458 nationally.
23. Nebraska
3 of 25
Devin White, ATH
Height, weight: 6'0 ½", 235 lbs
Ranking: 87th
White is the kind of versatile talent that Mike Riley loved to have while at Oregon State but was rarely able to get in the door to talk to. Now at Nebraska, he has a better opportunity to land such players, but it still won't be easy with SEC powers like Alabama, Arkansas and LSU also interested.
White, a linebacker and running back from Louisiana, is rated as the No. 7 athlete in the 2016 class. He ran for 2,287 yards and 30 touchdowns last season and is projected more as an offensive player in college than as a defensive tool.
Per Otis Kirk of 247Sports, White recently tweeted that he knew where he wanted to go to school but wanted to be "150 percent sure" before committing. Kirk did not list Nebraska as a likely destination, but expect the Cornhuskers to remain vigilant.
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22. Oregon
4 of 25
Nigel Knott, CB
Height, weight: 5'11", 175 lbs
Ranking: 72nd
Oregon's national reputation isn't just limited to its wardrobe, as the Ducks are going deep into SEC territory and hoping to steal the nation's seventh-best cornerback prospect and the No. 3 player from Mississippi. Knott has Oregon in his top 10, along with Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Louisville, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas A&M and USC.
After watching him do a backflip off the side of a wall to catch a ball, it's no surprise so many major programs are interested in Knott's athleticism and hands.
He originally planned to commit during The Opening, but Knott has since changed his plans and will "do it closer to home to be around friends and family," according to Justin Hopkins of 247Sports.
Knott plans to visit Oregon not long after The Opening finishes up.
21. Tennessee
5 of 25
Kyle Davis, WR
Height, weight: 6'3", 211 lbs
Ranking: 51st
Tennessee can never have too many wide receiver targets, which is why the Volunteers aren't slowing down despite already having commitments from three pass-catching prospects for 2016. Davis would trump the rest of the lot if he came to Knoxville, not just in terms of talent but also size.
The Lawrenceville, Georgia, resident was committed to South Carolina until mid-May, and since then he's spent a lot of time with Georgia. Tennessee is still in the mix, and it might take quarterback commit Jarrett Guarantano—who will also be at The Opening—to try to convince Davis to wear orange instead of red in 2016.
Davis is considered the nation's No. 5 receiver prospect in his recruiting class.
20. Stanford
6 of 25
David Long, CB
Height, weight: 6'0", 175 lbs
Ranking: 66th
Stanford will have a young secondary in 2015, but that group has a lot of talent to work with. The Cardinal want to continue to build depth on the back line, with two commitments on board already for 2016 and Long hopefully becoming the third one.
The Los Angeles product is rated as the nation's sixth-best corner, and his top 10 includes Stanford, Duke, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, UCLA, USC, Washington and Wisconsin.
Long hasn't indicated a timeline for his commitment, but expect Stanford and others to keep on him throughout the summer.
19. Florida
7 of 25
Dillon Sterling-Cole, QB
Height, weight: 6'2 ½", 183 lbs
Ranking: 218th
Florida's 14 commitments for 2016 include six offensive skill players but no quarterback. The Gators didn't sign a passer in Jim McElwain's first class either, which makes this a major priority for the 2016 cycle.
Sterling-Cole is one of the top remaining uncommitted quarterbacks in the class; he's rated as the ninth-best pro-style passer and would fit perfectly in McElwain's system. The Houston native has Florida in his final eight, along with Arizona State, Boise State, Houston, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, UCLA and Washington. Just prior to heading to The Opening, he made a visit to Gainesville.
One of the Gators' top challengers for Sterling-Cole could be A&M, where his father Chris Cole played wide receiver.
18. Baylor
8 of 25
Brandon Jones, S
Height, weight: 5'11", 183 lbs
Ranking: 21st
Baylor's prolific system has enabled it to get the pick of the litter when it comes to wide receivers, and the Bears will no doubt add to the two receiving commits they already have for 2016. A bigger priority lies in stopping the pass, and though they've landed four defensive back pledges, they're saving a spot for a big fish like Jones.
The fourth-best player in Texas and the No. 1 safety prospect in his class, Jones has 37 offers but has narrowed his choices down to 10. Baylor made the cut, and that's the last school that Jones visited during the spring.
"They for sure moved up in my list," Jones told Colt Barber of 247Sports. "My interest in them really went up a lot."
17. Auburn
9 of 25
Nate Craig-Myers, WR
Height, weight: 6'2", 205 lbs
Ranking: 12th
The nation's top-rated wide receiver was at one time an Auburn commit, but in May he re-opened his recruitment and has since landed offers from three more schools to up his total to 47. The Tigers are still in the hunt for the Florida prospect, but they have major competition from Florida State and Ohio State.
With D'haquille Williams heading into his senior year at Auburn, there's an immediate opening that will be available for someone like Craig-Myers. A big-bodied receiver is key to the passing game that the Tigers plan to go with to complement quarterback Jeremy Johnson, and Craig-Myers has the skills to handle that assignment.
The 247Sports Crystal Ball projections give Auburn only a 33 percent chance to win back Craig-Myers, compared to 60 percent for Florida State. His cousin, Jacob Pugh, is a sophomore linebacker at FSU.
16. Kentucky
10 of 25
Jonathan Jones, LB
Height, weight: 6'2", 225 lbs
Ranking: 409th
With 18 commitments already in tow, including two big offensive line recruits from within its own state, Kentucky is almost done with its 2016 class. Very few of the players the Wildcats are still looking at will be at The Opening, but the player who will be there is the one they're most interested in: Jones.
The Orlando, Florida, native has 28 offers, with schools like Michigan, Notre Dame and Stanford garnering the most interest from him. He recently spent several days with the Wolverines, who have received 100 percent of the 23 Crystal Ball predictions on 247Sports.
15. Duke
11 of 25
Terrance Davis, OG
Height, weight: 6'4", 305 lbs
Ranking: 77th
A strong start to the 2016 recruiting trail for Duke has led to 16 commitments heading into the summer, including three on the offensive line. A fourth is possible, though Davis is also wanted by several other notable programs that figure to have just as good of a sales pitch as the Blue Devils, if not more so.
The nation's second-ranked guard has offers from 18 schools, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Michigan and Maryland, which has been on the in-state prospect for a long time. Davis received his offer from Duke in April, though Maryland and Michigan seem to have the best chance to earn his commitment.
14. TCU
12 of 25
Tyrie Cleveland, WR
Height, weight: 6'2.5", 189 lbs
Ranking: 97th
TCU's rapid rise of late hasn't just been limited to game action, as the Horned Frogs are tops among Big 12 schools in terms of 2016 recruiting. And grabbing a former Texas A&M commit away from other schools in the conference would boost their ranking even more.
Cleveland, who decommitted from A&M in April, has TCU among his final 10 as well as Big 12 foes Baylor and Oklahoma. Other top contenders include Alabama, Arizona State, Houston and A&M.
The Houston product had 53 receptions for 1,105 yards and 13 touchdowns last year for Westfield High School.
13. UCLA
13 of 25
Caleb Kelly, LB
Height, weight: 6'3", 215 lbs
Ranking: 18th
The top-rated player from California and the No. 2 outside linebacker prospect has offers from all over the country, with Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame and Oklahoma among the top suitors. UCLA would love to keep Kelly in the state, and he'd make for a great replacement for junior-to-be Myles Jack, who is likely to turn pro after this season.
If he were to play for the Bruins, he could find himself at a variety of other positions for a program that enjoys moving athletes around. According to Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports, Kelly "has a great frame and probably has the athleticism to line up at safety, wide receiver or a number of skill positions."
12. Texas A&M
14 of 25
Deontay Anderson, S
Height, weight: 6'1", 192 lbs
Ranking: 46th
No matter how many great skill players Texas A&M signs, it isn't likely to get where it wants to be without top-flight defensive talent. The Aggies have made inroads in that area of late, but grabbing Anderson would provide a huge boost to their defensive future.
The nation's No. 3 safety prospect has 43 offers, but A&M is in the lead based on the Crystal Ball predictions on 247Sports. The Aggies have a 48 percent chance of keeping the Manvel, Texas, product in the Lone Star State, with Ole Miss (36 percent) serving as their top competition.
Last year, Anderson had two interceptions and scored touchdowns on both interception and punt returns.
11. Georgia
15 of 25
Derrick Brown, DT
Height, weight: 6'4", 314 lbs
Ranking: 6th
Though Georgia is considered the leader for the state's top prospect, according to 247Sports' Crystal Ball predictor, Brown made it clear in May he has no leader among a top four that also includes Alabama, Auburn and Tennessee.
"I don't really have an overall favorite," Brown told 247Sports' Hank South. "I just want to be able to step back and take a look at all the schools, and with having a favorite, I do not feel like I would be able to give every school a fair opportunity."
That makes one of the Bulldogs' most important targets someone they have to keep close tabs on, particularly as he goes up against top-flight offensive line prospects at The Opening.
Brown had 101 tackles, 17.5 sacks and 26 tackles for loss last season for Lanier High School in Buford. He would make a great complement to defensive tackle Trent Thompson, the No. 1 overall prospect from 2015 whom Georgia signed in February.
10. USC
16 of 25
Tyler Vaughns, WR
Height, weight: 6'3", 175 lbs
Ranking: 35th
USC already has two wide receiver commitments for 2016, while the brother of one—Florida freshman tight end Daniel Imatorbhebhe—has transferred to the program for next season. But the Trojans will continue to go after as many receiving prospects as possible, with Vaughns topping the list.
The third-best receiver in the 2016 class has USC among his top choices, along with Pac-12 rivals UCLA and Washington. The tall and lean wideout is the No. 4 prospect in California and is coming off a junior year at Bishop Amat High School where he caught 83 passes for 1,578 yards.
The Trojans are still young at receiver, but they showed last year their willingness to give freshmen plenty of touches, as Juju Smith and Adoree' Jackson were key targets in the passing game.
9. Ole Miss
17 of 25
A.J. Brown, WR
Height, weight: 6'1", 200 lbs
Ranking: 132nd
Ole Miss already has a strong receiving prospect on board in the 2016 class in 4-star DeKaylin Metcalf, but the Rebels would love to add another wideout to the class who just happens to live in their rivals' backyard.
Brown, from Starkville, is the No. 22 receiver in the 2016 class. He has offers from several SEC programs, but Mississippi State is the main challenger to Ole Miss for his services. 247Sports' Crystal Ball Predictor gives the Rebels only an 11 percent chance to get his commitment versus 89 percent for MSU.
Last fall, however, Brown listed Ole Miss as the leader in the chase for his letter of intent.
8. Michigan
18 of 25
Rashan Gary, DT
Height, weight: 6'4", 311 lbs
Ranking: 1st
The work that Jim Harbaugh has done to land recruits—before ever coaching a game for the Wolverines—is nothing short of amazing. Michigan's 20 commitments include 14 who pledged in June, but the biggest fish on the team's hot board still remains.
Gary, the No. 1-ranked recruit in the country, is the top target of dozens of schools, but he'd mean the most to a Michigan team in desperate need of a big-name defensive lineman. The New Jersey native just visited Michigan (right after going to Ohio State) and is set to square off with all of the nation's best offensive line prospects at The Opening.
Gary is from the same high school, Paramus Catholic, where Michigan redshirt freshman Jabrill Peppers played.
7. Michigan State
19 of 25
Donnie Corley, WR
Height, weight: 6'2", 180 lbs
Ranking: 113th
With a treasure trove of defensive recruits in line for the 2016 class, Michigan State can turn its attention to the offensive side this summer to beef up what's already a strong group with 20 commitments. The Spartans head into The Opening with three receivers committed, but Corley would trump all the others.
The Michigan native is No. 17 at his position in the country and a two-way star who also shined as a cornerback for Martin Luther King High School. He had 47 receptions for 1,087 yards and 18 touchdowns while also recording nine interceptions last season.
Corley has 31 offers, but MSU is the overwhelming favorite as of now, with 79 percent of the Crystal Ball predictions.
6. Penn State
20 of 25
Oluwole Betiku, DE
Height, weight: 6'3 ½", 240 lbs
Ranking: 24th
As if Penn State's defensive line wasn't already set for the next few years with the players it signed in 2015 and its four commits in 2016, the Nittany Lions still have other major targets they want in order to beef up that group even more. Betiku tops that list, and thanks to a connection to one of PSU's all-time defensive greats, there's a good chance he'll be coming to Happy Valley.
Betiku, the top-rated weak-side edge-rusher in the class and the third-best California prospect, has a top six of Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame, Penn State, Texas A&M and UCLA. The Bruins have the edge in 247Sports' Crystal Ball Predictor at 56 percent.
Former Penn State linebacker LaVar Arrington has been mentoring Betiku since he arrived from Nigeria in late 2013, according to Erik McKinney of ESPN.com.
5. Miami (Florida)
21 of 25
Brian Burns, DE
Height, weight: 6'5", 212 lbs
Ranking: 211th
Miami has spent much of this year ranked No. 1 on the 2016 recruiting trail thanks to a big jump on commitments, but with only two coming in June, the Hurricanes have lost some momentum. Grabbing one of their last remaining targets, such as in-state product Burns, would have get things moving back in the right direction.
Burns, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has recently added offers from Alabama, Oregon and Texas and attended a camp at LSU in June. He'll face some stiff competition at The Opening, and a strong performance could lead to even more offers, but at this point Miami seems firmly in place to get his commitment.
Burns would be Miami's fifth defensive end commitment of the 2016 class if he were to come on board.
4. Alabama
22 of 25
Ben Davis, LB
Height, weight: 6'3", 240 lbs
Ranking: 20th
Alabama already has 17 commitments for 2016 but none of the 5-star variety. That's significant for a program that signed 24 5-star prospects between 2011 and 2015. The Crimson Tide are in on many of the remaining uncommitted 5-star players, but Davis is the most important at this point because of what he represents to the program's future.
Linebacker has always been a position where Alabama has been overloaded with talent, but the 2015 team is veteran-heavy at the position, so players like Davis would fill an immediate need. The Tide signed three linebackers in the 2015 class, but none was as highly regarded as Davis.
Ranked as the third-best outside linebacker in 2016, Davis is "just scratching the surface in terms of his development," according to 247Sports' Steve Wiltfong.
Davis has 23 scholarship offers, and this spring he's made visits to Florida State and LSU, but the Tide seem to be the heavy favorite with 100 percent of the Crystal Ball predictions.
3. Ohio State
23 of 25
Damar Hamlin, CB
Height, weight: 6'1", 175 lbs
Ranking: 142nd
Ohio State has already received commitments from the majority of its most coveted targets, while other key pursuits who haven't announced their choices aren't scheduled to participate in The Opening. Of those who will be there, though, the one the Buckeyes would love to nail down soon is Hamlin.
The Pittsburgh native, who's the 12th-best corner in the 2016 class and the No. 4 player in Pennsylvania, is coveted by Pitt, Notre Dame and Penn State, among others. He's made two visits to Columbus since early April, and 247Sports has OSU as a 58 percent favorite.
OSU only has one corner prospect committed for 2016, so getting Hamlin would help beef up the secondary depth.
2. Florida State
24 of 25
Dexter Lawrence, DT
Height, weight: 6'5", 310 lbs
Ranking: 4th
Florida State recently gave up its perch as the top-rated recruiting class for 2016, but there's a lot that can happen over the next seven months. The Seminoles have 18 commitments but are still looking for several top-tier players, with Lawrence high on that list.
The North Carolina native is the nation's No. 2 defensive tackle prospect, and it looks like the battle for his signature is coming down to Florida and FSU. Bleacher Report's Michael Felder said in a video that he'd fit great in either team's system, but with Florida moving to a 4-3, that might work better for Lawrence's skill set.
That won't stop Jimbo Fisher and his staff from continuing to pursue Lawrence, who they see as a potential star at nose tackle.
1. LSU
25 of 25
Rashard Lawrence, DT
Height, weight: 6'3", 305 lbs
Ranking: 16th
Thanks to seven players ranked in the top 100, LSU has moved up to the top of the recruiting rankings. But its work is far from over, especially when it comes to continuing to add to its defensive line, where in-state product Lawrence would give the Tigers six commits up front.
Lawrence, the sixth-best tackle prospect in the country and the No. 2 recruit in the Bayou State, recently visited Ohio State and attended a camp at Arizona, but all signs point to him being the next big name on the line to commit to assistant Ed Orgeron and the Tigers.
Barton Simmons of 247Sports has praised Lawrence's instincts as an interior defender, saying that he is "really effective at diagnosing plays, finding the football, redirecting and retracing and using active hands to get off blocks."
The 247Sports Crystal Ball Predictor has LSU as a 100 percent favorite for Lawrence.
Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports, unless otherwise noted.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
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