BEAVERTON, Ore. – Go ahead and call it a comeback. After a brief hiatus, The Opening Finals returned to Nike’s HQ this week and did nothing but deliver.
With NFL players like Bryce Young, Malik Nabers, Trent McDuffie, Ja’marr Chase, Najee Harris and Shedeur Sanders all watching on from the sidelines, 120 of the nation’s top recruits put their talent on full display with two days of competition.
After naming an All-Lobby Team on Wednesday and a pair of Alpha Dogs for Thursday’s Jordan Brand Training and 7-on-7 jamboree, it’s time to roll out our overall top performers for the three-day event after taking in all the action from Friday’s 7-on-7 championship.
With over 60 players currently ranked inside the Top247 for the class of 2027 or the class of 2028 on hand, it wasn’t easy coming to a consensus as the stars came out to shine, but a few prospects separated themselves from the rest of the pack.
ALPHA DOG: PEYTON HOUSTON, TOP247 QB (LSU COMMIT)
Houston rebounded from an unexpected poor first game Thursday and ended up leading the entire tournament in passing as he completed 92 of 116 attempts for 1,004 yards with 14 touchdowns. He was deservingly named Offensive MVP of the week by The Opening staff and was a big reason why his Southwest squad made it all the way to the championship game.
A true point guard, Houston really caught fire during elimination play as he made anticipatory throws to all three levels and marched his offense down the field. While the accuracy and timing certainly stood out, we were more impressed with his command in critical moments as he showed no fear when attacking tight coverage windows. The throw of the week for him came in the semifinals when he fired an absolute bullet through three defenders right to the teeth of five-star Easton Royal for six points.
Houston might lack some of the ideal physical features, but the No. 9-ranked quarterback in the Top247 continues to make it clear that he’s an elite processor that can feed playmakers while also creating with his legs, when needed. Lane Kiffin was able to light up scoreboards last year at Ole Miss with Trinidad Chambliss running the show. Houston is cut from a similar cloth.
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2. Ja’Hyde Brown, Top247 WR (Louisville commit): After leading the state of Kentucky in receptions (98), receiving yards (1,556) and receiving touchdowns (24) last year, Brown continued to serve as an effective target merchant throughout the week, and a major catalyst for the Midwest’s run into the semifinals. Although they fell short against the Southwest squad in said matchup, Brown snagged four receptions for 79 yards after elevating for a twisting touchdown against the Southeast team earlier in the day. It was rare for a ball to hit the ground when it came his way behind his ability to track and time his efforts on throws at varying parts of his radius. Brown finished the week with 25 receptions for 273 yards, four touchdowns with just one lone drop in the box score. – 247Sports National Scouting Analyst TJ Randall
