Texas A&M Football Recruiting: Previewing Prospects at Nike's 'The Opening

Receiving an invitation to Nike's premier high school football training and evaluation camp "The Opening" is an honor only 150 of the nation's top recruits have the opportunity to accept. The four-day event takes place at Nike's Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon and will feature the best prospects of the 2013 class.

Spanning July 5-8, "The Opening" will break down each athlete using Nike's unique Sparq system. Following the results, the camp will place the skill invitees into 7-on-7 teams and pit them against each other in an all-out battle royale. The boys down the trenches, however, will participate in the Lineman Challenge.  

Texas A&M is highlighted at the camp by two big-time committed prospects, yet Sumlin expects one or two of the uncommitted attendees to land in College Station eventually. We break down the seven high school athletes at the "The Opening" the Aggies have vested strong interest in for their already stellar 2013 class.   

LB Mike Mitchell

Hometown: Plano, TX

The 6'4", 220-pound monster out of Prestonwood Christian Academy will be attending "The Opening" as one of the 20 linebackers invited. Hoping to improve his national worth with a strong Nike Sparq rating, Mike Mitchell should continue to be one of the top uncommitted players from the state of Texas.

Ranked by 247Sports as the 11th-best outside linebacker and the overall 137th top high school athlete in the country, Mitchell would be a valuable addition to any recruiting class. Even with 20 offers from programs such as Oregon, Ohio State and Florida, the Aggies seemed to have been able to remain in his top three.

With the addition of Louisiana native LB Darian Claiborne on July 3, Mitchell's commitment would skyrocket the A&M 2013 linebacker corps. Keep an eye on the big shot to play a major role in this year's premier event.

A&M Status: Top Three (per 247Sports)   

ATH LaQuvionte Gonzalez

Hometown: Dallas, TX

The speedy athlete from Cedar Hill High School has truly emerged as one of the Aggies' top commits of their 2013 class. Many consider the 5'11", 175-pounder to be the top prospect out of the Dallas metroplex, making his value to Sumlin and his revamped program near immeasurable. 

Entering "The Opening" as one of seven athletes, 247Sports ranks Gonzalez as the 10th-best at his position and the 149th overall in the nation. His performance for Nike Sparq should continue to boost his already rising stock in the college football recruiting world, especially running a flashy 4.50 40-yard dash.

On the offensive side of the ball at "The Opening," Gonzalez should represent A&M exceptionally well. Keep an eye on his final results.

A&M Status: Committed

LB Issac Savaiinaea

Hometown: Honolulu, HI

The Stanford commit is, by far, the top defensive recruit on this list. Coming out of Punahou High School in Hawaii, Savaiinaea has just recently "opened up his options" on the recruiting front. According to 247Sports, Texas A&M, along with UCLA and Notre Dame, rank as the top possible landing spots outside of Stanford for the big-shot linebacker.

The 6'3" 235-pound Savaiinaea ranks as the second-best at his position and the 69th overall in the country by 247Sports, making him a valuable asset for any up-and-coming defense. With A&M entering the SEC this upcoming season, snaring talented leaders such as this Hawaiian is a necessity for Kevin Sumlin and his defensive staff.

While Savaiinaea won't be making commitment changes anytime soon, the Aggies will have their shot when he visits in late September for the Arkansas home matchup. At "The Opening," don't be shocked to see him rank as one of the best in the entire camp.

A&M Status: Top Four (per 247Sports) 

WR Ricky Seals-Jones

Hometown: Sealy, TX

The nation's consensus No. 1 wide receiver and Texas decommit, the Sealy High School product should provide an enlightening show at "The Opening." Expect this nationally-known wideout to continue showing off his natural athletic ability in one of the biggest stages for top-notch recruits.

One of 30 invited wide receivers, Seals-Jones still has the potential to stand out like no one else. Ranked by 247Sports as the third-best athlete and 28th top prospect in the nation, "The Opening" presents an opportunity for the 6'5", 225-pound WR to further demonstrate his 7-on-7 abilities.

On the recruiting front, Texas A&M ranks among Seals-Jones' top three finalists, but in all likelihood, the wideout is leaning towards recommitting to Texas. However, if Sumlin pulls off a miracle by stealing the WR from A&M's bitter rivals, the move will be considered the program's largest recruiting success of the past decade by no contest.   

A&M Status: Top Three (per 247Sports)

DB Noel Ellis

Hometown: New Orleans, LA

Coming in as a 5'10", 170-pound defensive back, one of A&M's two out-of-state commits has the opportunity to improve his overall worth at this year's "The Opening." Ellis, one of 29 DB prospects at the event, has the speed and coverage skills to make himself known during the 7-on-7 matchups.

Ranked as the 29th-best cornerback in the country by 247Sports, the Louisiana native will be representing the Aggies on the defensive side of the ball. Ellis' stunning 4.52 40-yard dash speed will be a huge factor in his success at the event, certainly making him one of the top players to follow from the defensive back position.

Choosing A&M over a plethora of other offers, including Nebraska, Florida State and Auburn, his addition to one of the Aggies' weakest units will provide massive relief in the SEC.  

A&M Status: Committed

WR Ra'Shaad Samples

Hometown: Dallas, TX

Hailing from the fertile recruiting ground of Skyline High School, the 5'11", 160-pound wide receiver is hoping to move up the wideout leader boards with his attendance at "The Opening." The son of Skyline head coach Reginald Samples, expect some solid results in the Sparq ratings as well as the 7-on-7 tournament.

Ranked by 247Sports as the 65th overall wide receiver prospect in the nation, Samples owns a ton of talent to display at his position. Replacing A&M commit Thomas Johnson at Skyline this upcoming season will be difficult, but some top-notch results there have the potential to boost Samples into the elite sector of the positional rankings.

Samples, along with four other recruits, plan to make their commitments at "The Opening." The Texan will be choosing between three programs in Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State. Supposedly, the Aggies and Cowboys hold the leg-up on the Red Raiders, as reported by 247Sports recruiting analyst Taylor Hamm.  

A&M Status: Top Two (per 247Sports)

DE Torrodney Prevot

Hometown: Houston, TX

Making his way out of Taylor High School, the 6'4", 205-pound defensive end is easily considered to be one of the top recruits at his position. Featured by ESPN for "The Opening," expect some stunning results from Prevot over the course of the weekend.

One of 20 defensive ends at "The Opening," the 4-star prospect is ranked by 247Sports as the fifth best DE as well as the 164th overall player in the country. Prevot would immediately impact any defensive front the moment he took the field in college football power conference, particularly in the SEC.

Having narrowed down his choices to five universities, including Texas, LSU and USC, the Aggies will be hard-pressed to pick up the big-shot from Houston. At "The Opening," keep a close eye on his performance, especially during the Lineman Challenge. 

A&M Status: Top Five (per 247Sports)