The Opening 2019 Results: 3-Star QB CJ Stroud Named MVP

The 2019 Opening and Elite 11 finals wrapped up Wednesday in Frisco, Texas, with event organizers handing out hardware to the top performers.

CJ Stroud was named the best quarterback after helping lead Team Savage to a win in the seven-on-seven competition. Stroud, a 3-star recruit from Rancho Cucamonga, California, is the No. 25 pro-style QB in 2020 and has yet to commit to a school. 

247Sports' Barton Simmons praised Stroud's performance over the three days in Texas, calling him "a quarterback to be reckoned with":

"If you adjust for drops, Stroud completed 81 percent of his passes and he led the camp in passing touchdowns with 12. He wasn't just dinking and dunking. Stroud mixed his throws up, completing passes all over the field and. He showed the ability to hit tight windows on deeper breaking routes. A relative unknown on a national scale heading into the event, Stroud looks poised to be a darling of any school, blueblood or otherwise, that is on the hunt for a quarterback."

Baylor, California, Utah, Washington State and Oregon are among the schools that have shown interest in Stroud. That list is likely to grow in the weeks ahead after he showcased his skills.

Michael Mayer, a Notre Dame commit, is the No. 1 tight end in 2020. He captured the MVP for the seven-on-seven tournament, joining Stroud for Team Savage's victory.

Mayer made himself a second home in the end zone during The Opening.

He earned a rave review from quarterback Drew Pyne, who's also headed to South Bend, Indiana, in 2020. Pyne called Mayer "completely unguardable" and "unbelievable," per Carter Karels of the South Bend Tribune.

The Opening wasn't just about giving a stage to the top skill position recruits. Donovan Jackson, the No. 7 offensive tackle in 2021, and Korey Foreman, the No. 2 strong-side defensive end, were MVPs for the offensive and defensive lines, respectively.

Foreman's biggest highlight came during Tuesday's line drills. He was matched up against Tate Ratledge, the fifth-best offensive tackle in 2020. Ratledge simply had no answer for Foreman's variety of moves.

Like Stroud, Foreman is uncommitted so far, and he'll likely have his choice of elite programs when the time comes to make his decision.

Even by the most conservative estimates, those who took part in The Opening are another year away from contributing for their teams at the college level. But it's only a matter of time before some of these recruits become stars.

Trevor Lawrence was part of the 2017 Elite 11 and lost out on MVP to Justin Fields. Lawrence is fresh off a national championship run with Clemson, while Fields is Ohio State's likely starting quarterback after transferring from Georgia. 

Recruit info is courtesy of 247Sports and 247Sports' composite rankings.