Ohio State Football Recruiting: Top Commits, Targets to Watch at The Opening

Five Ohio State Buckeyes commits and a number of head coach Urban Meyer's top prospects are set to make their way to Beaverton, Oregon, for The Opening Finals next week.

The event, which showcases the nation's best high school prospects, will take place from July 5 to July 10, and the Buckeyes and their No. 3-ranked recruiting class will be well-represented. 

Top Commits to Watch

The five Ohio State commits invited to The Opening—running back Kareem Walker, running back Demario McCall, wide receiver Austin Mack, tight end Jake Hausmann and defensive end Jonathan Cooper—are all 4-star prospects who have been placed on the Team Lunarbeast roster.

Walker is the Buckeyes' top commit—rated the country's No. 1 running back and the No. 29 prospect overall. He committed during the Buckeyes' 42-20 victory over Oregon in the College Football Playoff National Championship, becoming the fifth member of Meyer's 2016 class. McCall, the No. 2-rated running back and the No. 42 prospect nationally, will join Walker in Team Lunarbeast's backfield.

Two future pass-catchers will also have the chance to show their skills. Hausmann is the country's third-ranked tight end and the No. 93 prospect overall, and Mack is the No. 25 wideout and the No. 147 recruit nationally. Both chose Ohio State over numerous offers from some of the top programs in the country, including Alabama, Florida State, Georgia and Notre Dame.

But the one player Ohio State fans will want to see in action is Cooper.

Credit: 247Sports

Rated the fourth-best weak-side defensive end in the country, Cooper has shot up the recruiting rankings after blowing up in regional camps around the Midwest. His raw athleticism, speed and strength make him a nightmare for offensive tackles to block, and he's getting high praise from his mentors.

Here's what Cooper had to say about the coaches he's worked under, per Ari Wasserman of the Northeast Ohio Media Group:

"

They just think I'm amazing. They think I've been working really hard. They've never seen anything like me. Sometimes they tell me it's the best defensive end performance they've ever seen. But all in all, it just tells me I need to work harder and get better.

"

Top Targets to Watch

With the targets left on Ohio State's board, there's a chance that Meyer could secure the country's top recruiting class by signing day.

One of the biggest needs for 2016 is wide receiver, because the Buckeyes signed just two perimeter pass-catchers to their 2015 class. Mack is already in the fold, but with Kierre Hawkins projecting as a tight end at the collegiate level, Ohio State is looking to add more top-flight wide receivers to the fold.

One of Ohio State's top targets hails from the state of Florida. Nate Craig-Myers, a 5-star standout from Tampa, is the top-ranked receiver and the No. 12 prospect overall, and he'll be in Beaverton for The Opening Finals.

Credit: 247Sports

Craig-Myers was high on the Buckeyes and at one point had them as his favorites, according to Jeremy Birmingham of Eleven Warriors. That was before a surprising commitment to Auburn last summer, but Ohio State is back in the thick of things after Craig-Myers reopened his recruitment in May.

“I just wanted to make sure that I make the right decision,” he told Sanjay Kirpalani of Bleacher Report. “I wanted to open things up. Since I committed so early, I want to give every school a shot at recruiting me.”

The Buckeyes are long shots to land his commitment, according to 247Sports' Crystal Ball, but Meyer will continue to go after him as hard as he can.

Another prospect Ohio State fans should watch is defensive tackle Rashan Gary. 

Gary, the nation's top-ranked recruit for 2016, is coming off a visit to Ohio State last weekend. He's considering the Buckeyes alongside a host of premier schools around the country, but Alabama and Michigan are shaping up as the favorites.

But the Wolverines may have surged in front for Gary's commitment after he visited the campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the day after stopping in at Ohio State.

While Gary is unlikely to wind up in Columbus, Buckeyes fans may be getting an early glimpse at one of Michigan's future stars.

All recruiting rankings and information via 247Sports.

David Regimbal covers Ohio State football for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.