• 2014 OL Demetrius Knox is sporting an Ohio State hat at the underclassmen Rivals Challenge
• 2014 Mansfield (TX) Timberview DB Edward Paris repots that he's wide open right now. Would like to check out OSU soon. 
• 2014 RB Jonathan Haden lists Ohio State LSU Florida and West Virginia as schools that have caught his eye so far.
• 2013 WR Devon Allen reports he will visit Ohio State on July 27th 
• Jason Hatcher names USC, Louisville, Florida, and Tennessee as his leaders
• Josh Malone unofficially visits Baylor

Scout $ - The Opening: Mike Mitchell

• By Powers.....Ohio State #1, followed by Florida State & Texas A&M. 

Derrick Green keeps every school on an even playing field

BEAVERTON, Ore. -- One of the running backs who stood out at Day One of The Opening was Richmond (Va.) four-star Derrick Green. Showing off a nice burst for a player of his size and soft hands during drills, the affable back was just soaking up the moment as he competed amongst 150 of his highly regarded peers.

"It's a blessing first of all," Green said. "There are a lot of top guys out here so it's nice to come out here and compete with some of the top guys in the nation. It's very nice and I'm having a great time out here. I'm just enjoying the process."

The 6-foot, 215-pounder received his invite to come out West a while ago and though it was a new world for him out on the fields at the Nike campus, he was able to get a little bit of a heads up as to what to expect during the five days of The Opening.

"I spoke with Brionte Dunn, who went here last year," Green said. "He told me it was great and he had a good time and that he got some top notch stuff and so did I. It's just awesome and I'm still taking it all in."

Green recently cut his list to 13 schools after holding close to 40 offers by the time July came around and listed Tennessee, Michigan, Oregon, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Auburn, Clemson, Alabama, Miami, Pitt, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma as programs under consideration (in no order).

"Every one is standing out, that's why they made the list, it's a very even top 13," he said. "First and foremost, I'm looking for academics. I told my mother I'd get my degree so academics is first. Depth chart, atmosphere, the type of offense the school runs… lots of stuff.

"I'm going to try and narrow my list down again before the season starts. But as far as where on my officials, I don't know right now."

The Virginian will head to Alabama, Auburn and Ole Miss later this month on unofficial visits and is looking for a few things on each stop.

"I want to speak with the head coaches all those schools, see the facilities, how I feel with the atmosphere," said Green. "I'm also going to Michigan for that barbecue they're having. I know going there I'm going to speak with the head coach (Brady Hoke) as well. I went there before but I didn't get to speak with him, so that's the big thing this time.

"(Offensive lineman and Michigan commit) David Dawson, I know that's what sold him. Shane Morris, the head coaches, they sold him. So I definitely want to sit down and speak with (Brady Hoke)."

Green's recruitment will likely run all the way until Signing Day and since picking up offers early, he's heard just about every pitch from college coaches. As to which one was the most pressing or unique, the No. 4 big back in the class of 2013 had a laugh before responding.

"I won't say what coach it was but I heard one coach say, 'If you come here, you're guaranteed a starting spot,'" he said. "I don't' believe that or any coach tells me that. I know wherever I go I have to compete and get that starting spot. That's what I'm going to do."

ESPN 150 athlete Levonte "Kermit" Whitfield (Orlando, Fla./Jones) has named a top six but said he has no plans of making a rushed decision.

Whitfield, a 5-9, 170-pound athlete, said he's looking at West Virginia, Florida State, Miami, Ohio State, Clemson and Florida. Whitfield, who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds at The Opening, claims more than 20 offers.

"I like the schools, and I'm going to do what I've got to do," Whitfield said. "They're all good programs. I'm looking for playing time and the chemistry with players and coaches."

BEAVERTON, Ore. -- Mike Mitchell may not have known it then, but his performance at Friday's SPARQ rating national championship at The Opening wasn't just for him.

He was representing the entire Lone Star State.

As the last participant in the SPARQ 40-yard dash, Mitchell needed a blazing time to take the national title. Not only did he produce a 4.39-second 40 time -- ridiculously fast for a 6-foot-4, 220-pound linebacker -- but he also set the national SPARQ rating record with a score of 154.47.

When the 40 time was announced, the Plano (Texas) Prestonwood Christian star was mobbed by The Opening players  many of them being Texans. Although Mitchell grew up in Winter Park, Fla., he's been in Texas for more than two years, long enough to earn the respect of his peers.

"We've got the best athlete in the country," Tennessee commit Kameron Miles (Mesquite, Texas/West Mesquite) said of Mitchell. "It made me proud. That's Texas. He's Texas."

In the eyes of several players, the SPARQ trophy couldn't have gone to a better player. Mitchell's the high-profile prospect who is incredibly low key.

Want to get in touch with Mitchell? Good luck. There's a reason you don't hear daily updates on his recruiting status or notes about his upcoming visit schedule. He's too busy working out. His daily routine includes working out from 8 a.m. until noon -- consider the triple-digit temperatures in Texas -- and he may get in as many as six hours of workout time a day for six days a week. He rests on Sunday.

So when Mitchell, who's No. 144 in the ESPN 150 and the No. 13 outside linebacker, was mobbed after winning the SPARQ title, it was purely out of respect for the phenomenal athlete that he is.

"I enjoyed it so much, just because of all the great players I competed against," Mitchell said. "I competed against the best of the best, and everybody's worked hard to get where they're at. I've been working my butt off this summer, going to the track early in the morning and staying until noon. It's 103, 104 degrees around that time in Texas.

"I've been running consistent 4.4s, but when I heard [4.39], I dropped my water bottle. I walked around the back, hoping nobody would catch me. One player got me, and then I just got mauled."

A four-star linebacker, Mitchell is entertaining double-digit offers and has solid interest in Texas A&M, Ohio State and Florida State and lately he has added Georgia and Oregon to the mix. He said he is considering announcing his decision at Gridiron Kings, which takes place July 27-29 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Mitchell is one of those players who is relatively quiet until you put him on the football field. He's a "yes, sir," "no, sir" kid who lets his actions do most of his talking. Mitchell is coming off a junior season where he recorded 151 tackles, 11 sacks and two interceptions.

Miles and Texas commit Jake Oliver (Dallas/Jesuit) met Mitchell for the first time during the plane ride to Oregon earlier in the week. Oliver said he has known of Mitchell for a while, as some of his friends from Jesuit know some of his friends from Prestonwood.

Both Oliver and Miles had similar descriptions of Mitchell -- a quiet guy who also happens to be a freak of an athlete.

"For a linebacker, he's really athletic. He's a product of hard work," Miles said. "You can tell he works really hard. It shows."

"I called it, actually," Oliver said. "I was sitting next to [Texas commit] Jacorey [Warrick] and I said, 'He's going to run a 4.39,' and he did. I thought it was pretty cool."

Mitchell's performance even impressed Ricky Seals-Jones (Sealy, Texas/Sealy), who Mitchell has the utmost respect for. Seals-Jones, a five-star prospect and the country's top-ranked receiver, said the Texas natives were cheering for Mitchell and another Texan who made the SPARQ finals, Kansas commit Colin Spencer (Dallas/Woodrow Wilson).

"We were screaming, 'Texas is in here! Texas is here!'" Seals-Jones said. "When it got time for Mike to run, and when he ran that 4.39, we went crazy. People were jumping up and down and giving high-fives.

"We just wanted to encourage him. That was a big thing for him and the state of Texas. It showed that Texas is big, and we do big things."

Mitchell's athletic ability is genetic. His father Ken played middle linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons. His mother Candy was a standout tennis player. Even his younger brother Mickey has the genes. Mickey is a 6-foot-7 point guard who is ranked No. 2 in the 2015 class.

"There's a lot of competition in my family," Mike said. "Everybody's athletic and competing. Mickey's a star basketball guy. I just felt like this was my time to shine."

And, in doing so, Mitchell became something of a Texas high school hero. At least to his peers at The Opening from Lone Star State.

"The state of Texas represented as well as we possibly could," Oliver said, "and he showed Texas is the best state for football."