The Opening 2016: Power Ranking Every 7-on-7 Team
BEAVERTON, Ore. — Perhaps no event at The Opening, an annual invite-only showcase held at Nike's world headquarters, demands as much attention as its star-studded seven-on-seven tournament.
Action gets underway Saturday morning and continues through Sunday afternoon, with six teams competing for a title. This tournament challenges athletes to rise up against premier peers or risk embarrassment at the expense of opponents.
Each team is equipped with two Elite 11 quarterbacks, who will split reps in an effort to chase down MVP honors. They'll operate alongside running backs, receivers and a tight end, lined up across from linebackers and defensive backs.
Every roster is loaded with talent from across the country, but considering our assessment of regional camps and past high school performances, here's how we rank these six squads.
6. Lunar Beast
1 of 6
Elite 11 Quarterbacks: Jack Sears (No. 10 pro-style prospect) and Tommy Devito (No. 26 pro-style prospect)
University Vibes: Ohio State Buckeyes (six commits) and Washington Huskies (two commits)
Who to Watch
Top-ranked linebacker Dylan Moses is a rare two-time participant at The Opening, and he'll patrol a positional unit that also features Anthony Hines, a Texas product who carries more than 90 scholarship offers, and Ohio State pledge Antjuan Simmons. The group is backed by a secondary swarming with future Buckeyes (cornerback Shaun Wade and safeties Isaiah Pryor and Brendon White).
Like Moses, Philadelphia running back D'Andre Swift returns to Beaverton for a second straight year and helps spearhead an offensive attack that should also showcase coveted Louisiana receiver Devonta Smith. Sears, a Southern California native, is the only uncommitted quarterback in attendance, while Devito, a Syracuse commit, was arguably the biggest surprise at the Elite 11 Finals in June.
5. Hyper Cool
2 of 6
Elite 11 Quarterbacks: Dylan McCaffrey (No. 2 pro-style prospect) and Myles Brennan (No. 18 pro-style prospect)
University Vibes: Michigan Wolverines (five commits) and LSU Tigers (three commits)
Who to Watch
This quarterback duo should provide a consistent downfield threat, with both passers capable of spinning pretty spirals on deep attempts. Brennan set all-time Mississippi high school records for single-season passing yards and touchdown tosses in 2014, while McCaffrey is the younger brother of Stanford running back and Heisman Trophy finalist Christian McCaffrey.
They'll target a slew of standout receivers, headlined by No. 1 overall pass-catcher prospect Donovan Peoples-Jones and LSU pledge Jhamon Ausbon, while Wolverines running back commits O'Maury Samuels and A.J. Dillon are each threats to claim the top score in the Nike Football Ratings Championship. Defensively, this group is led by New Jersey linebacker Drew Singleton, Virginia safety Devon Hunter and Southern California cornerback Thomas Graham.
4. Fly Rush
3 of 6
Elite 11 Quarterbacks: Davis Mills (No. 4 pro-style prospect) and Sam Ehlinger (No. 6 dual-threat prospect)
University Vibes: Stanford Cardinal (two commits), Texas Longhorns (two commits) and USC Trojans (two commits)
Who to Watch
Georgia linebacker Owen Pappoe makes history as the first rising sophomore to earn an invitation to The Opening, where the 15-year-old phenom will be joined on defense by 5-star Texas linebacker Baron Browning. This unit is anchored by perhaps the finest cornerback duo in America, as Grayson High School (Georgia) teammates Deangelo Gibbs and Jamyest Williams join forces.
Mills, rated No. 1 on Elite 11 coaches' boards during the finals, will have an opportunity to target fellow Stanford commit Colby Parkinson, who is considered the class' top tight end recruit. USC running back pledge Stephen Carr and Trojans receiver Joseph Lewis are both 5-star talents, joined in the offensive arsenal by rising Georgia receiver Jeremiah Holloman.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
3. Mach Speed
4 of 6
Elite 11 Quarterbacks: Hunter Johnson (No. 1 pro-style prospect) and Sean Clifford (No. 8 pro-style prospect)
University Vibes: Clemson Tigers (three commits) and Ole Miss Rebels (two commits)
Who to Watch
The aerial attack will have a major Clemson feel to it, as No. 1 overall quarterback recruit Johnson delivers darts to fellow Tigers commits Tee Higgins and Amari Rodgers. This trio is augmented by Florida standout James Robinson and Ole Miss commit D.D. Bowie at receiver, while Anthony McFarland Jr. and Khalan Laborn are among the most versatile all-purpose backs in America.
Top-rated cornerback Darnay Holmes holds things down in the defensive secondary, where he joins prized Pennsylvania product Lamont Wade and intimidating IMG Academy (Florida) safety Grant Delpit. The linebacker corps is led by Alabama/Auburn target Will Ignont and Sherrod Greene, who is leaning toward South Carolina at this stage.
2. Alpha Pro
5 of 6
Elite 11 Quarterbacks: Tate Martell (No. 1 dual-threat prospect) and Jake Fromm (No. 3 pro-style prospect)
University Vibes: Georgia Bulldogs (five commits) and Florida State Seminoles (two commits)
Who to Watch
Martell, who committed to Ohio State last month, is unbeaten as a starter at Las Vegas powerhouse Bishop Gorman High School and has also cruised past opponents in a highly competitive national seven-on-seven landscape. He'll be busy recruiting Alpha Pro receivers Trevon Grimes and Tyjon Lindsey—one of his closest friends—to the Buckeyes while targeting them throughout the tournament.
Fromm, a Georgia pledge, joins forces with Athens-bound receiver Trey Blount and primary Bulldogs running back target Toneil Carter. Los Angeles receiver Jalen Hall is the top-rated prospect at his position in the 2018 class, while this defensive secondary is stocked with sensational talent such as Patrick Surtain Jr. (No. 1 cornerback in 2018), Jeffrey Okudah (No. 1 safety in 2017) and Richard LeCounte III (No. 2 safety in 2017).
1. Vapor Speed
6 of 6
Elite 11 Quarterbacks: Tua Tagovailoa (No. 2 dual-threat prospect) and Chris Robison (No. 7 pro-style prospect)
University Vibes: Oklahoma Sooners (eight commits) and Alabama Crimson Tide (six commits)
Who to Watch
Alabama and Oklahoma both qualified for the College Football Playoff last season and will be well-represented on Team Vapor Speed, starting with Tagovailoa (Crimson Tide) and Robison (Sooners). Tagovailoa, a Hawaii native, was the most impressive prospect during the Elite 11 Finals, and he'll team up with fellow Tide commits in No. 1 overall running back recruit Najee Harris and freakishly athletic receiver Tyrell Shavers.
Harris, who is also a fantastic pass-catcher, teams up with former Alabama commit and fellow 5-star Cam Akers to form a lethal backfield. Florida State legacy cornerback commit Stanford Samuels joins Alabama safety pledge Xavier McKinney and four Oklahoma commits in the defensive secondary, while Norman-bound linebacker Levi Draper and Crimson Tide commits Markail Benton and VanDarius Cowan provide ample presence up front.
Tyler Donohue is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings.
Follow Tyler via Twitter: @TDsTake.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
