Highlights and Analysis from The Opening Seattle Regional

RENTON, Wash. — The Virginia Mason Athletic Center (VMAC), the Seattle Seahawks' headquarters and training facility, served as the final stop of The Opening's regional competitions for the 2016 cycle Saturday. Three athletes punched their tickets to The Opening finals by late Saturday afternoon.

Two 5-star athletes were impressive and earned The Opening invites, as offensive tackle Foster Sarell and defensive back DeAngelo Gibbs showed why they are considered elite athletes in the 2017 class. Hunter Bryant, a 4-star tight end, was the third invite and also became the first tight end to win the camp MVP honor for wide receivers and tight ends this year:

The VMAC, which sits on the Lake Washington shores, was more than an aesthetic view Saturday. It provided multiple storylines and gave a few athletes the opportunity to show their skills. Here are some of the highlights from Saturday's action.

OT Sarell shines, erases last year's memory

One of the biggest names of the Seattle regional roster was one of the area standouts and a top-five national player. And from start to finish, Foster Sarell didn't disappoint.

Sarell, who traveled roughly 30 miles from his home in Graham, Washington, gave an outstanding effort that not only earned him camp MVP honors but also a trip to The Opening. Sarell is the nation's No. 5 overall player and No. 2 offensive tackle in the 2017 class.

His performance also helped him erase last year's memories, as injuries prevented him from an opportunity to attend The Opening as one of the handful of underclassmen who qualified.

"Last year, I was at the Eugene [Oregon regional], and I hurt my knee before I could get to do one-on-ones," Sarell said. "That really hurt, because you grow up and watch these guys on TV and watch the videos. It was like a dream for me.

"Last year, I felt like I could have made it, but I was injured. I've been grinding for this moment. To finally make it is a blessing."

Sarell, at 6'6 ½" and 310 pounds, dominated in one-on-one competition and quickly established himself as the player to watch among offensive linemen. He currently has 16 reported offers, according to Scout.com.

Versatile DB Gibbs earns second trip to Oregon

For Loganville, Georgia, defensive back DeAngelo Gibbs, earning a second consecutive trip to The Opening was a priority. In order for that to happen, he knew he had to compete in a regional event.

Gibbs had scheduling conflicts and couldn't make either the Atlanta or Charlotte, North Carolina, events, and with Seattle as the final regional, it was either make the trip or be left out of the mix. Gibbs not only made the flight to the Pacific Northwest, but he also showed why he is a 5-star player.

Gibbs finished the camp with both an MVP award and an invite to The Opening. He was a shutdown defender and someone who showed himself early as the player to beat in the secondary.

And now, Gibbs—who can play cornerback, safety or wide receiver at the next level—said he's ready to show that last year's invite wasn't a fluke.

"This will be my second time at The Opening, so it's Round 2 for me," he said. "I know I just have to go hard, compete and ball out. I'll never get this chance again; it'll be cool for me."

Gibbs, who claims 51 offers, said he didn't mind making the trip to Seattle and was pumped about competing against some of the best receivers in the Pacific Northwest. His focus now is on being prepared in July, as he will make a return trip to the region to compete against some of the best athletes in high school football.

"You've got to be ready, or you'll get exposed," Gibbs said. "It's a fun experience. You just have to go prepared."

Damon Sayles/Bleacher Report

Washington RB commit celebrates birthday in style

While celebrating a birthday Saturday, Sumner, Washington, 3-star running back Connor Wedington didn't ask for much. The Washington commit, however, made sure he didn't leave the Seahawks training facility without earning his own birthday gifts.

Wedington's 17th birthday included a ratings MVP award, the title of "Fastest Man" and a ton of highlights in drills and one-on-one battles. His ratings score of 123.27 was fueled by a 40-yard dash time of 4.48 seconds, a 20-yard shuttle time of 4.04 seconds, a vertical jump of 37.2 inches and a power ball toss of 38.5 feet.

He then followed those performances by winning the "Fastest Man" race, which also included Albuquerque, New Mexico, wide receiver David Cormier and Beaverton, Oregon, running back Anthony Albright. Wedington won the 40-yard dash contest in 4.41 seconds.

"I've been training for this for a few weeks," Wedington said. "I was ready. I wanted to show out."

Wedington committed to Washington in February, choosing the Huskies over offers from Washington State and Idaho. He rushed for more than 1,500 yards and 22 touchdowns as a junior.

Credit: Damon Sayles/Bleacher Report

Eight is enough for Wazzu QB commit Neville

Washington State quarterback commit Connor Neville has seen his share of Elite 11 competitions. For those counting, Saturday was the Wilsonville, Oregon, product's eighth camp in three years.

Saturday also happened to be the first time Neville won camp MVP honors—a milestone he didn't take for granted.

"I did my first camp as a freshman," Neville said. "I did two [camps] my freshman year, three my sophomore year and three this year. After eight Elite 11 camps, it feels good to finally be the MVP. All the hard work really has paid off."

Neville had a solid day, connecting on passes long and short and showing consistency with each drill. However, no quarterbacks were selected to the Elite 11 finals on Saturday, and Neville will wait to see if he'll receive one of two invitations remaining for the finals, which take next week in Los Angeles.

"I'm not sure if they will invite me or not," Neville said. "I have been to three [this year] and thought I did well in those, but I don't make the decision. They have more experience and know what they are doing. It would've felt nice earning it [Saturday], but I'll just see if I will get invited or not Monday.

Jussila focuses on tutelage instead of jersey

Offensive lineman Mason Jussila said he had to do a double take when he saw the number assigned to him for The Opening Seattle.

That number: 666.

"I asked if this was really my number," said Jussila, referring to the "number of the beast" associated with the devil in Biblical terms.

Jussila, a versatile offensive lineman who attends Marshfield High School in Coos Bay, Oregon, said he had pushed the thoughts of his jersey number to the side in an effort to focus on competing at the highest level. Although he wasn't invited to The Opening, Jussila said the overall experience and tutelage from The Opening coaches were worth second.

"I've learned how I stack up against guys around the U.S. and what I need to do to be able to play at a higher level," said Jussila, who has interests from a few small colleges and is looking for his first offer.

RB Indelicato has social media buzzing

Alex Indelicato was one of 11 players added to The Opening Seattle as a late entry. Once the running back arrived, he delivered with every drill.

Indelicato was fun to watch throughout Saturday, and he finished the camp as the running backs MVP. One of his biggest highlights came during the popular "Cat & Mouse" drill pitting running backs against linebackers.

Indelicato, as the first participant for the running backs in the drill, made a juke that triggered immediate response from onlookers. He then managed to make a similar move in a one-on-one battle later on.

According to MaxPreps, Indelicato had nearly 1,600 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior for Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, Washington. He is expected to play his senior year at Bothell High School in Bothell, Washington.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles