Predicting Where Top Uncommitted Recruits at The Opening 2017 Will Land

Several players are expected to make their college announcements at The Opening recruiting showcase in Beaverton, Oregon. They aren't scheduled to include the biggest-name prospects in the event, however.

Those battles will continue to be waged over the course of the coming weeks and months, and still others will go all the way to national signing day.

From a pair of high-caliber quarterbacks in Justin Fields and freshly decommitted Matt Corral to a stable of wide receivers coveted by most of the top teams in the country, the recruiting event that started on Wednesday and will run until Monday will feature plenty of uncommitted studs.

These are the guys who aren't trying to make a name for themselves. Instead, they're just testing their skills against the other top talents in the nation, and virtually anybody would take a commitment from any of them.

Let's take a look at the top 10 uncommitted players who'll attend The Opening at Nike World Headquarters and venture predictions on where they'll wind up playing their college football.

Justyn Ross, Central High School Wide Receiver

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Justyn Ross: 6'4", 197-pound 5-star wide receiver, Phenix City, Alabama (No. 15 overall)

Any time a marquee prospect emerges in the Yellowhammer State, you can bet Alabama and Auburn will go to battle over him. 

That's exactly the case with elite receiver Justyn Ross of Phenix City, who recently released his top five via Twitter, which predictably included the Crimson Tide and Tigers, along with Florida State, Florida and Clemson. That's pretty much a who's-who of choices, and Ross could wind up at any one of them.

This just feels like one of those battles UA head coach Nick Saban will win. The Tide have churned out pass-catchers in recent years, and all Ross needs to do to see he can be developed in Tuscaloosa is look at the recent lineage that includes Julio Jones, Amari Cooper and Calvin Ridley, among others.

Freshman Jerry Jeudy looks like he's talented enough to fall right in line, and Ross could be the one after him. Saban is stockpiling size to go along with the speedy receivers he's already got in Alabama, and Ross is a lanky athlete who would fit right in.

Watch out for Clemson and head coach Dabo Swinney, who has roots in Alabama and could steal this star-in-the-making.

But it's hard not to roll with the Tide.

Prediction: Alabama

Brennan Eagles, Taylor High School Wide Receiver

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Brennan Eagles: 6'3 ½", 214-pound 5-star wide receiver, Houston (No. 13 overall)

It's not easy breaking into Texas and being able to convince the top playmakers in the Lone Star State to move out. But that's exactly what has happened during the past few years when programs such as Ohio State, LSU and Stanford cherry-picked the talent.

With Kevin Sumlin on the hot seat in College Station, he's got to battle the negative vibes coming from media wondering aloud about his job. But in Austin, new head coach Tom Herman is trying to turn around the Longhorns' in-state fortunes after Charlie Strong's rocky tenure.

Getting a commitment from elite receiver Brennan Eagles would go a long way in accomplishing that.

Eagles is being coveted by all the top teams, including LSU, Florida State, Ohio State and others. But according to 247Sports' EJ Holland, Texas "appears to have a heavy lead" for Eagles, who is expected to visit July 17.

He'd team nicely with shifty Rondale Moore, who recently pledged to Herman. Though Eagles could take his recruitment all the way into February, somebody would have to blow him away to get him to leave the state.

This looks like a jewel in Herman's first full UT class.

Prediction: Texas

Terrace Marshall Jr., Parkway High School Wide Receiver

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Terrace Marshall Jr.: 6'3", 192-pound 5-star wide receiver, Bossier City, Louisiana (No. 12 overall)

Though Scout has another receiver rated higher than Terrace Marshall Jr. in its rankings, the 247Sports Composite has the tall, athletic pass-catcher from Louisiana as the top overall receiver.

That's why he can hand-pick where he wants to attend college for the next four years.

Much like Eagles in the previous slide, Texas is deep in Marshall's recruitment, and Texas A&M, TCU and Miami are making inroads into gaining his scholarship signature as well.

But Louisiana prospects LSU wants rarely leave the Bayou. The home-state school gets more than its fair share of the guys it wants.

New Tigers coach Ed Orgeron is known for his recruiting chops, and he's piecing together quite a class in Baton Rouge. Marshall would be the centerpiece of that haul, and he would be the perfect piece of the puzzle to help new offensive coordinator Matt Canada rebuild the stagnant passing game.

LSU has some good-looking young quarterbacks who will try to turn around an element of the offense that faltered in Les Miles' regime, and Marshall could be an instant-impact player as a true freshman.

This battle could go a long time, but Marshall won't end up far from home.

Prediction: LSU

Amon-Ra St. Brown, Mater Dei High School Wide Receiver

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Amon-Ra St. Brown: 6'0", 190-pound 5-star wide receiver, Santa Ana, California (No. 11 overall)

The first four players on this list are all pass-catchers, and the top uncommitted player at that position, according to Scout, is Amon-Ra St. Brown from the powerhouse Mater Dei High School in California.

St. Brown isn't the biggest player, but he's silky smooth and polished. He's also lightning-quick and could be the next Christian Kirk type, possessing a similar skill set to the rising junior Texas A&M receiver.

While everybody out West is hot on St. Brown's trail (along with numerous others), it's going to be tough to keep him from attending Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish, Stanford, USC, UCLA, Ohio State and Michigan appear to be the top contenders.

Geography is a major element in recruiting, but so are bloodlines. St. Brown's brother, Equanimeous, stars for the Irish. Amon-Ra could join him there, but the Cardinal shouldn't be overlooked, according to a recent report by 247Sports' Tom Loy.

"He was recently in Palo Alto with his good friend, 2019 five-star quarterback JT Daniels," Loy wrote. "It wouldn't shock too many people if both picked the Cardinal down the road."

A lot will hinge on Notre Dame's 2017 season and whether head coach Brian Kelly's two new coordinators pan out. If they don't, St. Brown could stay closer to home. If the Irish rebound, St. Brown likely will join his brother in South Bend.

This one is a toss-up.

Prediction: Stanford

Matt Corral, Polytechnic High School Quarterback

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Matt Corral: 6'2", 196-pound 5-star quarterback, Long Beach, California (No. 10 overall)

One of the most shocking plot twists from this year's recruiting class happened when highly rated signal-caller Matt Corral decided to back away from his commitment to USC and turn his attention elsewhere.

After all, the Trojans have a rich history of securing their choice of California's fertile quarterback breeding grounds. Corral looked like the 5-star choice for the 2018 cycle before electing to sever ties with the Trojans.

He went from actively recruiting for head coach Clay Helton's team to no longer considering USC, according to 247Sports' Tom Loy.

Corral is expected to commit to somebody this summer, and Georgia, Alabama and Florida appear to be at the top of his list. He told 247Sports' Hank South recently: "Right now, it'd be between Georgia and Alabama."

It's not every day an SEC team goes into USC's backyard and plucks away its quarterback, but UA and UGA are SEC blue bloods recruiting at a consistently high level.

This one would be all Georgia, but if the Bulldogs wind up getting Justin Fields, it could push Corral elsewhere. A potential Florida trip looms large, but the Crimson Tide could be the destination.

Prediction: Alabama

Anthony Cook, Lamar High School Cornerback

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Anthony Cook: 6'0", 168-pound 5-star cornerback, Lamar, Texas (No. 9 overall)

The cliche is that everything is bigger in Texas, and that includes the pool of college football recruits. Among the top players in the country from the state that produces a notable number of the most highly ranked players each year is Lamar cornerback Anthony Cook.

He's a blazing-fast defensive back with a projectable frame that could hold plenty more weight, and he also has elite ball skills. That's why everybody has him on their radar.

While Cook could elect to stay at home and play for the Longhorns, it's more likely he winds up out of state than Eagles. UT coach Herman has a ton of ties in Houston from his time coaching the Cougars, but it may be Herman's old boss who is the one to beat in this race.

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer recently led his recruiting charge in Texas and came away with star prospects such as Jeffrey Okudah and Baron Browning. The Buckeyes have enjoyed a presence in the state since Meyer arrived in 2012.

Cook could be the next Lone Star State prospect to commit to Ohio State. Meyer is heavily recruiting him and receiver teammate Al'vonte Woodard.

The cornerback told Adam Gorney of Rivals Texas and Herman have made a major impression on him, and LSU, Clemson and Alabama remain in the picture too. But this has the feel of a Buckeyes recruiting win.

Prediction: Ohio State

Jamaree Salyer, Pace Academy Offensive Guard

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Jamaree Salyer: 6'4", 342-pound 5-star offensive guard, Atlanta (No. 8 overall)

After a torrid 2017 recruiting cycle, Georgia and head coach Kirby Smart got off to a slow start in piecing together this year's haul.

But the Bulldogs have been going after plenty of big fish.

They landed one when elite North Carolina running back Zamir White committed, according to DawgNation's Jeff Sentell. It may have jump-started the class. As already stated, Corral is heavily considering UGA and may even be leaning in that direction.

But who is going to block for all these guys if UGA gets them?

One of the top targets is Jamaree Salyer, a mauler of an interior lineman from Atlanta who has the prowess to anchor anybody's O-line class. Georgia is in the thick of the race to land Salyer, who has more connections with UGA than just its state.

Smart will wind up with a strong class, and though Clemson's Swinney is making a strong push to land Salyer to help the Tigers restock their pantry, it feels like getting him from the Peach State is still a bit of a long shot.

If the Bulldogs take care of business in the SEC East this year and show growth, the recruiting will be fine. And Salyer will be part of this class.

Prediction: Georgia

Justin Fields, Harrison High School Quarterback

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Justin Fields: 6'3", 221-pound 5-star quarterback, Kennesaw, Georgia (No. 5 overall)

Perhaps the most discussed uncommitted prospect in the country is Justin Fields, the signal-caller from suburban Atlanta who pledged to James Franklin and Penn State earlier this year before recently reneging.

Since then, virtually everybody in the country has kicked the tires on the country's top uncommitted prospect.

Who wins this battle is anybody's guess. Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Auburn and Georgia all feel good about their chances. With no end in sight to Fields' recruitment, it's going to be interesting to see how this saga plays out in the summer months.

Traditionally, quarterbacks like to be committed and recruiting by this time, so it's a bit uncommon that Corral and Fields are still on the market. Even more uncommon is their destinations could be tied to one another.

It appears Georgia is sitting better than anybody else nationally in getting one of the two. If Fields doesn't wind up in Athens, Corral could. Though Fields is at least intrigued by the Seminoles and Gators.

With Fields' sister Jaiden playing softball at Georgia, the slight nod goes to the Bulldogs. But this could change at any time.

Prediction: Georgia

Patrick Surtain, American Heritage School Cornerback

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Patrick Surtain Jr.: 6'2", 192-pound 5-star cornerback, Plantation, Florida (No. 3 overall)

NFL bloodlines are normally good indicators of a prospect's ilk, especially if they're being recruited by many of the top programs in the country.

Patrick Surtain Jr. is the son of a famous Miami Dolphin who was an All-Pro defensive back, and it appears the younger of the two is primed to follow in his father's footsteps. But don't let the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, hometown fool you.

Surtain's strongest ties are to Louisiana.

That's why the LSU Tigers are the heavy favorite on the 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions to land the elite, lanky defensive back.

Teams such as Florida State and Miami are trying to stay strong in the race to earn his commitment, but LSU's Orgeron looks like he's got a strong lead for the nation's top corner.

Though he's already a 5-star prospect on Scout, 247Sports director of recruiting Barton Simmons said it would take a bad week for Surtain not to earn that fifth star on 247Sports after The Opening. He also noted the Tigers were the leader.

Maybe Surtain is trying to find out whether LSU is the right place. Maybe he's just extending the drama. Still, he'll be a Tiger in the end.

Prediction: LSU

Micah Parsons, Harrisburg High School Defensive End

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Micah Parsons: 6'3", 241-pound 5-star defensive end, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (No. 2 overall)

As if seeing Fields' name near the top of this list doesn't sting enough, Penn State head coach James Franklin has to deal with the fact another former Nittany Lion pledge is the nation's top uncommitted player participating at The Opening.

Yes, at one point, PSU had commitments from Fields and Parsons.

Though the quarterback has seemingly moved on from Penn State, Parsons is still an option. He recently camped at PSU, and since he's from nearby Harrisburg, it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility for him to recommit.

But the race for Parsons' pledge may go on for many months.

Ohio State emerged as a favorite to land Parsons following his decommitment, and it may be difficult to fend off the Buckeyes when it is all said and done. But Parsons appears to be making an effort to rekindle those old flames with the Lions, according to 247Sports' Sean Fitz.

The longer Parsons' recruitment goes, the better that is for Franklin. If it goes into the season, the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions could be the top two teams in the Big Ten. Though OSU is the favorite, Parsons would be intrigued by Penn State's big year.

Also, the closeness to home will be a factor as well. That's why he'll go for a surprise recommitment, though nobody will be shocked if Meyer wins this one.

Prediction: Penn State

Recruit rankings and information courtesy of Scout unless otherwise noted. All stats gathered from CFBStats.com unless otherwise noted.