The Opening 2015: 10 Sleeper Recruits to Watch in Beaverton

Each year, blue-chip prospects flock to The Opening, the elite recruiting showcase at Nike's headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. Most of the invitees to the event sport 5- or 4-star ratings and amass long offer sheets.

However, those top recruits aren't the only ones who will be on the big stage in Oregon from July 7-10. Across the country, several players with lower ratings earned invitations to The Opening with their stellar performances at regional combines.

All eyes will be on the star-studded targets in Beaverton next week, but college football fans should watch for these under-the-radar talents.

Here are 10 players on The Opening roster who will enter the event with 3-star or lower ratings from 247Sports' composite rankings, which combines several top recruiting outlets.

Don't sleep on these possible breakout players who could earn more stars and more scholarship offers in Oregon next week.

QB Jett Duffey

• Mansfield, Texas (Lake Ridge)
• 6'0", 171 pounds
• Composite ranking: 1,076
• Dual-threat QB ranking: 30
• Texas Tech commitment

Jett Duffey didn't even have a star rating when he arrived at The Opening's New Orleans regional in March. After winning MVP in Louisiana, Duffey went to the Charlotte regional, earning another MVP nod and an invite to the Elite 11 finals.

Now Duffey is a composite 3-star recruit who looks to continue his rise in Oregon. He compiled 3,362 all-purpose yards and 39 touchdowns in his junior season, and his hard work has carried over into the camp circuit.

In his meteoric rise this spring, Duffey has picked up his first FBS offers—Air Force, Nevada and Texas Tech—and has committed to play for the in-state Red Raiders.

"Duffey was seen taking extra snaps while others were on water breaks a few times [at the Elite 11 semifinals]," Bleacher Report's Damon Sayles wrote in June. "His seven-on-seven play Sunday showed his surgical ability against defenders, something that will fit in well for Kliff Kingsbury's high-octane offense at Texas Tech."

QB Anthony Russo

• Warminster, Pennsylvania (Archbishop Wood)
• 6'4", 221 pounds
• Composite ranking: 949
• Pro-style QB ranking: 44
• Rutgers commitment

Like Duffey, Anthony Russo arrived at his first camp this spring without a star rating. He caught the attention of those in attendance at the New Jersey Elite 11 regional this March and earned a ticket to the semifinals in Los Angeles.

"He's one of those big-framed kids who hit what you look for in terms of measurables and prototypical build," Student Sports' Brian Stumpf told Bleacher Report. "It's awesome to see a guy like Anthony put himself on the map today, and he has a chance to turn more heads at some college camps."

Russo picked up a 3-star rating from 247Sports and more offers from FBS schools before committing to Rutgers in May. His performance in Los Angeles earned him a much-deserved spot in the finals.

"It’s a blessing to say that I’ve come to this point, where I’ve gone from a guy who was stuck behind a kid my own age during my freshman and sophomore seasons, to overtaking him and winning the starting job a season ago to now getting an invite to the Elite 11," Russo told 247Sports' Ryan Lance.

RB Tre Bryant

• St. Louis, Missouri (Christian Brothers)
• 5'10", 195 pounds
• Composite ranking: 845
• RB ranking: 58
• Considering: Kansas, Kansas State, Minnesota, Northwestern and Syracuse

Tre Bryant arrived at May's The Opening regional in Chicago as a solid 3-star prospect and blew away those in attendance with his measurables.

According to 247Sports, Bryant took home the Nike Football Rating title in Chicago after recording a 4.53 40-yard dash, 4.00 shuttle run, 40-foot power-ball toss and 38-inch vertical. Now this athletic 3-star composite back is heading to The Opening.

Barton Simmons of 247Sports listed Bryant as a player to watch in Oregon, writing he is interested in seeing if Bryant has the running back skill set to back up the athleticism that earned him an invitation to the event.

Bryant spent June visiting several campuses and recently tweeted his top-five list of schools. Whichever program earns his commitment will be getting one of the nation's top athletes and a rising running back in the 2016 class.

WR Kalakaua Timoteo

• Mililani, Hawaii (Mililani)
• 6'1", 190 pounds
• Composite ranking: 997
• WR ranking: 149
• Hawaii commitment

Kalakaua Timoteo may have the smallest offer sheet at The Opening—it only has one school on it.

The 3-star Hawaii native is committed to the in-state Rainbow Warriors, but he could pick up more offers with a big performance at The Opening. He won the wide receiver MVP award at the Oakland regional over plenty of blue-chip targets.

According to 247Sports' Eric Cech, the biggest problem standing between Timoteo and more offers is his speed. His 40-yard dash has been clocked in the 4.8-second range, which might be a red flag for Power Five programs.

Timoteo consistently got open against defensive backs in Oakland and garnered some attention from schools outside the islands. If he can flash some more speed at The Opening, expect several Pac-12 teams to start offering him scholarships.

WR Chase Claypool

• Abbotsford, British Columbia (Abbotsford)
• 6'5", 205 pounds
• Composite ranking: 331
• WR ranking: 55
• Considering: Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, Rutgers and Washington

Chase Claypool was an unheralded recruit out of Canada when he arrived at The Opening regional in Eugene. But it's hard to ignore a 6'5" receiver with plenty of speed.

Claypool's recruitment has been a blur since the regional, and now he will return to Oregon with major interest from several powerhouse schools. He visited both Michigan and Notre Dame in June and has picked up offers from programs such as Arizona, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Oregon, Rutgers, Tennessee and Washington.

247Sports' Evan Sharpley evaluated Claypool at Notre Dame's Irish Invasion camp in June and noted his "5-star frame for a wide receiver," exceptional length, footwork and physical nature as a pass-catcher.

247Sports' Barton Simmons wrote, "There aren't many better-equipped receivers in the country from a size/speed perspective" than Claypool. You won't be able to miss this target at The Opening.

OL Frederick Mauigoa

• Pago Pago, American Samoa (Tafuna)
• 6'3", 295 pounds
• Composite ranking: 786
• OG ranking: 35
• Considering: BYU, Hawaii, Nevada and Washington State

Another recruit from outside the 50 states starred at the Eugene Regional—Frederick Mauigoa, an offensive guard from American Samoa. He attended the regional as part of a tour of Samoan prospects and earned an invitation back to Oregon with his play.

"When evaluating offensive linemen, one of the top criteria is consistency," 247Sports' Justin Hopkins wrote in June. "Mauigoa was terrific in pass pro and run-block drills against some of the best in competition. He set his feet very well and used his lower body to hold his ground."

Although he's a raw prospect at this point, several schools out West have turned Samoan players into solid college stars, especially on the offensive and defensive lines. The team to beat right now for his commitment is Oregon.

"They're the No. 1 school," Mauigoa told Barton Simmons of 247Sports. "It's been my dream college since I was growing up. I got the inspiration from Marcus Mariota."

DT Mike Panasiuk

• Roselle, Illinois (Lake Park)
• 6'3", 285 pounds
• Composite ranking: 421
• DT ranking: 37
• Michigan State commitment

Mike Panasiuk wasn't a hot name in the recruiting world when he hit Chicago for The Opening regional. But he stood out at the camp among other higher-rated players.

"Panasiuk is a massive young man, with big features," 247Sports' Steve Wiltfong wrote after the regional in May. "He’s violent on the football field. He was dominant during one-on-ones and was one of four to leave the field with what everyone wanted, an invitation to The Opening."

Panasiuk didn't just command the attention of recruiting analysts at the event—the 3-star defensive tackle also started to receive major attention from major programs. 

One month after his performance in Chicago, Panasiuk committed to Michigan State, joining a stunning group of future Spartans along the defensive line. Now he'll head to The Opening with a chance to impress yet again—this time on a national stage.

LB Aaron Hansford

• Washington, D.C. (St. John's)
• 6'2", 210 pounds
• Composite ranking: 407
• OLB ranking: 29
• Considering: Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio State and Penn State

Judging by his junior highlight film, 3-star outside linebacker Aaron Hansford looked underrated heading into the spring. His play at The Opening regional in the nation's capital backed that up, as he won a spot in Oregon.

"Hansford has a nice outside linebacker frame and he is very athletic and fluid at that size," 247Sports' Barton Simmons wrote. "He earned the linebacker MVP award by doing everything well. We didn't see a drill he struggled in."

He continues to rise in the recruiting rankings and could earn a fourth star with another standout performance at The Opening.

All of Hansford's Crystal Ball predictions have him going to Ohio State, but he recently visited both North Carolina and Penn State. The recruiting battle will continue to rage for one of the East Coast's biggest sleeper prospects.

CB Traveon Beck

• Bellflower, California (St. John Bosco)
• 5'10", 170 pounds
• Composite ranking: 1,007
• CB ranking: 96
• Cal commitment

Traveon Beck might come from a big-time high school program, but he is one of the lowest-rated recruits heading to The Opening.

"Beck is the next in line of scrappy defensive backs to play at Southern California powerhouse St. John Bosco," his bio on Student Sports reads. "As a junior, Beck had 96 tackles and three sacks to earn All Pac-5 honors."

Beck held his own against some of the area's top receivers at The Opening regional in Los Angeles and earned an invite to the big event in Oregon. After his performance at the camp, he received scholarship offers from Arizona and Wisconsin but decided to commit to in-state Cal.

According to 247Sports' Evan Flood, Beck is a candidate to flip down the road if other schools continue to show interest in him. This Golden Bears commitment could see his offer sheet grow after The Opening when he goes one-on-one against some of the nation's best wideouts.

CB Obi Eboh

• Southlake, Texas (Southlake Carroll)
• 6'1", 184 pounds
• Composite ranking: 402
• CB ranking: 36
• Considering: 27 offers

Plenty of higher-rated defensive backs were on display at The Opening regional in Dallas, but 3-star Obi Eboh stood out with several great plays and earned an invitation to the big showcase on Nike's campus.

Eboh broke up 11 passes as a junior last season at Southlake Carroll and added several tackles for loss. He has great size for a cornerback and a high motor that made him one to watch in Dallas.

His recruitment looks wide open at this point, as none of the 27 schools who have offered him have high interest on his 247Sports profile. Baylor, Duke and Texas A&M are among his Crystal Ball predictions, but the leader is still a "foggy" forecast.

Eboh's recruitment will continue to be one to watch after The Opening, where the 3-star cornerback will have an opportunity to garner even more interest from other top programs across the country.

Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Justin Ferguson is an on-call college football writer at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.