NCAA Tournament Bracket 2015: Predictions for Top Stars in Round-of-64 Games

While much of the thrill of the NCAA tournament is seeing teams succeed as a group, there are a number of stars who will showcase their abilities on an individual level this month.

Between future NBA lottery picks and All-Americans who are perfectly suited for the college game, even the most casual fans will take notice of some of the nation's elite during March Madness. With most of them having favorable matchups in the opening round, this could lead to some huge performances.

These players have all had great seasons and will be among the top performers in the round of 64 as well.

All Your Bracket Essentials

• Download the Printable Bracket
• Play the Free Bracket Challenge 

Jahlil Okafor, Duke

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

There are players with better numbers than Jahlil Okafor, but few in college basketball have ever been as dominant right out of the gate. The freshman center is one of the most polished low-post players the sport has seen at his age, and he uses his skill and strength to score on the block at an extremely high rate.

Although there will be other contenders, the consensus at this point is that the Duke star will be the top pick of the 2015 NBA draft, according to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com.

In his first game, he will match up against the winner of Robert Morris and North Florida, neither of which has anyone capable of even slowing down Okafor in the post. The backcourt of Tyus Jones and Quinn Cook will come in handy in later rounds, but in this one it should be all about feeding the big man and letting him work.

Prediction: 23 points, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks

Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

There is a debate for some about who will win the National Player of the Year award, but ESPN's analysts all seemed to agree it will eventually go to Frank Kaminsky.

Jeff Goodman had one of the best explanations for what the Wisconsin star brings to the table:

"

He's been the best overall college basketball player in the country. He can score in the post, can step out and make 3s, is a tremendous passer, rebounds, blocks shots. And his team has a shot at a No. 1 overall seed. I love Kaminsky's unselfishness and versatility -- and the biggest difference between he and Jahlil Okafor comes on the defensive end.

"

The center is a mismatch thanks to his shooting ability, but in this one he doesn't have to leave the paint except sporadically to avoid three-second calls. Coastal Carolina has no one in the rotation taller than 6'8", which will make it difficult to defend the 7'0" Kaminsky.

He will make sure to get the rest of his teammates involved, but this could be a big game for the senior against an obviously inferior opponent.

Prediction: 20 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks

D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State

USA TODAY Sports

Unlike Duke and Wisconsin, Ohio State doesn't have the pleasure of facing a No. 16 seed in the first round. Instead, the Buckeyes will be the underdogs against an extremely difficult matchup in VCU.

The Rams often cause problems with their pressure "Havoc" defense that causes turnovers as well as anyone in the nation.

However, D'Angelo Russell certainly isn't afraid of a challenge of any sort:

The elite point guard will have his ball-handling ability tested, but he and fellow guard Shannon Scott should be able to handle the press, especially without the injured Briante Weber.

Russell can use his court vision to find the open man as well as beat his opponent off the dribble himself. Instead of a tough matchup, this will be a chance for the guard to really show off his best attributes.

Prediction: 21 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds

Tyler Harvey, Eastern Washington

The first three players on the list have become household names throughout the course of the season, with all being named All-Americans by the USBWA. On the other hand, Tyler Harvey is trying to make his name known during this postseason.

Harvey led the nation in scoring this season with an average of 22.9 points per game, including a season high of 42 points last week in the Big Sky tournament. He creates his own looks off the dribble and hits three-pointers at a rate of 42.8 percent on the year.

This could be trouble for No. 4 seed Georgetown, which ranks 253rd in the nation in three-point defense, according to KenPom.com.

Win or lose, Eastern Washington will push the tempo and score a lot of points against the Hoyas. Harvey will try to put his team on his back if things are close and should end up with big numbers either way.

Prediction: 33 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter. If it's March, I'm talking about pretty much nothing but college basketball.