2017 Recruits Who Could Become 5-Stars After Their Performance at the Opening

BEAVERTON, Ore. — With The Opening now in the rearview mirror, there are bound to be movements when the rankings are updated for the 2017 cycle.

Some players validated their lofty ratings, while others were out to prove they were deserving of another star or two. 

After winning the Elite 11 MVP, 4-star quarterback and current Alabama pledge Tua Tagovailoa made a case to jump into 5-star territory. 

However, he was far from the only player who capitalized on the opportunity to make a statement competing against the nation’s top prospects at the premier summer-camp showcase.  

Which prospects in the 2017 class could join the exclusive fraternity of 5-star talents when the rankings are updated? 

Note: players listed in alphabetical order.

4-Star S Richard LeCounte III

Current Ranking: No. 2 safety, No. 37 overall 

Recruitment Status: Committed to Georgia

In a seven-on-seven setting, safeties are put in a bind having to cover ground from sideline to sideline.

One player who seemed to relish that role was 4-star safety and current Georgia commit Richard LeCounte III. 

According to Keith Niebuhr of 247Sports, LeCounte had three interceptions on the first day of the seven-on-seven tournament.

Afterward, the Peach State standout was still critical of his play.

"I felt like I did pretty well overall, but there’s always room to improve. I’m always looking for ways to get better," LeCounte told Bleacher Report.

Nevertheless, he displayed great range, ball instincts and speed. Furthermore, he carried himself with the type of confidence and swagger necessary to be an elite defender at the next level.

4-Star QB Davis Mills

Current Ranking: No. 4 pro-style QB, No. 55 overall 

Recruitment Status: Committed to Stanford

Before Tagovailoa caught fire on Sunday, 4-star quarterback and current Stanford commit Davis Mills was the most consistent passer among the rest of the Elite 11 field.

The 6’3”, 192-pounder shook off a slow start in the tournament and gradually turned it on in helping lead team Fly Rush to an appearance in the title game.

As Barton Simmons of 247Sports detailed, Mills routinely displayed the type of attributes found in top-flight quarterbacks.

Even though he plateaued in the championship game, his overall body of work in the offseason warrants a jump into 5-star status.

4-Star WR Jerry Jeudy

Current Ranking: No. 7 WR, No. 44 overall 

Recruitment Status: Considering Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Miami and Tennessee

One of the main targets that helped spur Tagovailoa to the Elite 11 MVP award was 4-star receiver Jerry Jeudy. 

After the title game, Tagovailoa spoke on the connection that played a major role in helping team Vapor Speed win the seven-on-seven tournament championship.

"[Jeudy is] awesome. That relationship couldn’t have started if I didn’t feed him the ball or if the coaches didn’t call plays for him," Tagovailoa said. 

Perhaps the only blemish on the 6’1”, 180-pounder’s week was a dropped touchdown pass from Tagovailoa on Saturday.

However, he more than made up for that miscue with big plays on deep routes and short catches he turned into big gainers because of his elusiveness, as noted by Simmons. 

With 5-star receivers such as Donovan Peoples-Jones and Tee Higgins limited or inactive due to injury, Jeudy excelled throughout the week and proved himself to be an elite prospect.

4-Star TE Colby Parkinson

Current Ranking : No. 1 TE, No. 46 overall 

Recruitment Status: Committed to Stanford

Last year, tight end and current Georgia freshman Isaac Nauta put on a show and firmly established himself as a 5-star prospect.

This year, 4-star tight end and current Stanford commit Colby Parkinson hopes to blaze a similar path up the rankings.

The 6’7”, 228-pounder rates as the nation’s top tight end and the No. 46 player overall in the 2017 cycle.

He established himself as a sure-handed target with great athleticism and a high ceiling at the next level after a strong performance for team Fly Rush.

As an added bonus, he and Mills seemed to find a comfort level in working together for the entire week—which could help the duo find success at the next level.

4-Star WR James Robinson

Current Ranking: No. 7 WR, No. 44 overall 

Recruitment Status: Considering Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Miami and Ohio State

Aside from Jeudy, another stud pass-catcher from the Sunshine State had a great showing in tournament play.

While Jeudy was steady and consistent, 4-star receiver James Robinson had a flare for the dramatic with a handful of acrobatic catches fit for his highlight tape. 

He snared a pair of one-handed catches from 5-star quarterback and current Clemson pledge Hunter Johnson on Saturday that showed his athleticism and versatility.

On the first one, he ran across the field and caught a pass that was behind him with one hand and managed to keep sprinting toward the sideline for a big play with yards after the catch.

After catching a fade route from Johnson for a touchdown, he made arguably the catch of the entire tournament by snagging a ball with one hand in the corner of the end zone while managing to get his foot down for the two-point conversion.

Overall, Robinson was one of the toughest matchups for defensive backs because of his size and physicality.

4-Star OL Trey Smith

Current Ranking: No. 9 offensive tackle, No. 48 overall  

Recruitment Status: Considering Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Notre Dame and Ohio State 

As Bleacher Report’s Damon Sayles detailed, 4-star offensive lineman Trey Smith was dubbed the nation’s top overall prospect in the 2017 cycle by ESPN.

However, he’s still a 4-star in the 247Sports composite rankings—which is an average rating that takes into account rankings from all the major recruiting services.

With some outlets not sold on his potential to become a dominant left tackle at the college level, Smith used The Opening to make a case to be billed as a 5-star. 

As noted by Brian Perroni of 247Sports, Smith’s athleticism sets him apart from a class loaded with powerful protectors in the trenches.

The Tennessee native was consistent enough to warrant consideration for a place among the group of 5-star prospects in the 2017 cycle.

4-Star QB Tua Tagovailoa

Current Ranking: No. 2 dual-threat QB, No. 60 overall 

Recruitment Status: Committed to Alabama

If there is one player in the 2017 cycle who has consistently improved throughout the camp circuit, it’s Tagovailoa.

His ascent to the Elite 11 MVP is the byproduct of a concerted effort on his part to hone his craft and learn the details of playing the position from the pocket. 

The future Alabama Crimson Tide passer started out slow in tournament play. But when he adjusted to the speed of the game, he looked head and shoulders above the field of talented quarterbacks in the 2017 cycle.

Matt James, who is the Nike Director of Grassroots Football and one of the coaches on the Elite 11 staff, noticed his growth in that area. 

"Once he got used to that and started picking things up, he just started dealing," James said. "I would say for the last two games of pool play all the way through today, it was special to watch. No one else performed like that."

Tagovailoa is rated as the nation’s No. 2 dual-threat quarterback and the No. 60 player overall in the 2017 cycle.

After his stellar showing at the Elite 11 finals in Los Angeles last month and his subsequent dominance at The Opening, Tagovailoa is a prime candidate to rise in the rankings heading into the 2016 season.

4-Star CB Jamyest Williams

Current Ranking: No. 7 CB, No. 53 overall 

Recruitment Status: Considering Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, South Carolina and Tennessee

One year after being the lone underclassman on defense to make The Opening’s all-tournament team, 4-star corner Jamyest Williams was on a mission to do it again and prove his success last year wasn’t a fluke.

Consider that mission accomplished after he delivered another dominant performance. 

As Keith Niebuhr of 247Sports noted, Williams wreaked havoc and racked up interceptions and pass breakups from the nickel corner spot.

While his size (5'9", 170 lbs) has also been a point of contention in keeping him out of the 5-star range, after his latest performance, it’s becoming increasingly hard to deny that he’s one of the most versatile and explosive athletes in the 2017 cycle.

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Follow @SanjayKirpalani