The Opening 2015: Biggest Takeaways from Day 1

BEAVERTON, Oregon — Nike World Headquarters was loaded with talent from coast to coast at all positions Wednesday, as The Opening kicked off with drills and one-on-one matchups.

It was a chance for the Elite 11 quarterbacks to connect with the rest of the talented recruits, as over 160 athletes were in attendance.

Here are the key takeaways from Wednesday's action:

Gary vs. Little battles a treat for all

Arguably the most anticipated one-on-one matchup of Wednesday took place when the nation's No. 1 player, defensive tackle Rashan Gary, lined up against the nation's No. 2 player, offensive tackle Greg Little.

Gary and Little faced off in two separate reps; Gary won the first, while Little took the second. It only made sense for the two—good friends off the field, competitors on it—to split the battle.

"Him being No. 2, and me being No. 1, he wants to go against me, and I want to go against him," Gary said. "At the end of the day, we challenge each other. He's the best competition I've seen playing tackle, and I'm happy to challenge myself against him.

"Once the football season comes, and if I can handle him, then I can handle anybody."

Little said he enjoys battling against Gary, as they both make each other better and that competing against Gary is a daily expectation during his time at The Opening.

"I want to go against the best," Little said. "I feel if I don't go against the best, I'm just wasting my time. He's the best, so I want to go against him. We're real close, so it's cool."

Look for the battles to become even more exciting when the linemen put on pads. 

The flying Imatorbhebhe: USC commit gets air

Josh Imatorbhebhe didn't win the Nike Football Rating Championship, but he definitely left a lasting impression on those watching the event.

The 4-star USC wide-receiver commit showed he has ridiculous leaping ability, recording a vertical jump of 47.1 inches. Imatorbhebhe jumped 46 inches in the preliminary round only to trump it during the finals.

Unfortunately, Imatorbhebhe did not finish the NFRC finals, as he dealt with a minor hamstring injury during the competition. He told Bleacher Report's Tyler Donohue that he will be evaluated by trainers on campus to determine his status for the rest of the week.

Top 10 coming for versatile athlete White

Devin White can play several positions on the football field, and he's wanted by several schools—including Ole Miss. Just ask 5-star quarterback Shea Patterson and 4-star receiver DeKaylin Metcalf, two Ole Miss commits hoping to land him.

White, a running back/linebacker prospect, told Bleacher Report he is planning on releasing a top 10 before he leaves Oregon. When, however, is still up in the air.

But White does know the kind of winning program he's looking for.

"I'm a people's person and a family person. If you treat me like family, and I know you're there for me, that's what I'm looking for," White said. "Getting on the field, I'm a team player, so I'm going to do what I have to do to be a great player for the university.

"I want to believe in the coach in helping me get to the NFL, which is a final goal for me. Another thing: I just want to feel comfortable. At the end of the day, I want my parents at my games and for me and them to be comfortable with the university."

White, who measured in at 6'1" and 258 pounds, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds Wednesday. LSU, Ole Miss, Alabama, Arkansas and Auburn are among the schools believed to be on his radar.

FSU pledge shines, reconfirms top spot at TE

There are several solid tight ends in Oregon for the week, but Florida State commit Isaac Nauta is ranked the No. 1 player at the position for a reason.

Nauta was beyond impressive in one-on-one play and had an amazing one-handed catch from 5-star quarterback Malik Henry that made a defender fall. The catch, which dazzled the crowd and made the coaches in attendance smile, arguably was the best of the day.

"I was running a corner route, and the kid was taking away my outside from the beginning," Nauta told Bleacher Report's Sanjay Kirpalani. "...I kind of just pushed up on him, and then he fell to the ground.

"I was hoping Malik was going to throw me a touch pass, and he did. I just jumped up and had a little fun and caught it with one hand."

There are a few tight ends in Oregon worthy of discussion, including Stanford commit Kaden Smith and Ohio State commit Jake Hausmann, but Nauta on Wednesday made the plays to separate himself from others. It was a performance that could help make sure no other tight end takes the top spot.

'Hulk' Jones expected to arrive Thursday

This just in: "The Hulk" is coming.

Credit: 247Sports

Alabama commit Kendell Jones Jr., the nation's No. 10 defensive tackle, is expected to be in uniform for Thursday's competition. On Wednesday afternoon, his father said he was en route to Oregon and was expected to arrive at the Portland airport Wednesday evening.

That means the offensive linemen at The Opening will have a 6'4½", 361-pound truck to defend—and Thursday is expected to be a day where the linemen put on the pads for workouts.

Michigan State pledge gets weightlifting record

In case you didn't know, Michigan State commit Mike Panasiuk is strong. Really strong.

The 3-star defensive tackle showed exactly how strong in the weight room, as he bench pressed 185 pounds 43 times to set an event record. Panasiuk bested Texas Tech's Breiden Fehoko, who benched pressed 185 pounds 42 times at The Opening last year.

"It feels great to have a record out here at The Opening, because it's a big event that not many get to attend," said Panasiuk, a 6'3", 285-pound defensive tackle. "It was great having all the other D-linemen around me cheering me on to beat the record."

Panasiuk committed to Michigan State last month, choosing the Spartans over offers from Penn State and Wisconsin.

Sleeper alert: Eboh earning his stripes

As a 3-star cornerback, Obi Eboh may be considered an under-the-radar prospect. With nearly 30 offers, however, Eboh is far from a second-tier player.

Eboh held his own during both the Nike Football Rating Championship and one-on-one training session drills. He recorded a score of 117.6, which was powered by a 4.57-second 40-yard dash, a 4.19-second shuttle and a power ball toss of 42.5 feet.

Eboh also had an interception in one-on-one competition, and he also broke up a few passes.

"It's incredible. Everybody has something to prove out here," Eboh said. "You're just trying to compete and do your best. Everybody has their opinions on if I'm a 3-star, 4-star, whatever. I just want to make a name, keep competing and going hard. At the end of the day, that's all you can do."

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless noted. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles