The Opening 2015: Biggest Takeaways from Day 2

BEAVERTON, Ore. — Thursday's action from The Opening featured a seven-on-seven preliminary round, exciting lineman drills in pads and helmets and four verbal commitments.

And it was an unorthodox day from 4-star athlete Christian Wallace, which included him as a roving reporter and, later, with him sporting the hairstyle of one of his favorite schools.

Wallace said he still has a top three of Texas, Mississippi State and LSU.

Here are a few other takeaways from Thursday's action at Nike World Headquarters.

Ohio State WR commit shines in 7-on-7 play

Wide receiver Austin Mack was the talk of Thursday's seven-on-seven action, as he used his speed and athleticism to make multiple plays for the Lunarbeast squad.

Mack, Indiana's No. 2 player and an Ohio State commit, made catches throughout the day that garnered oohs and aahs from the crowd. The 4-star receiver won several battles and looked impressive in goal-line situations.

At 6'2" and 205 pounds, Mack is a big, physical athlete, and he used his size and athleticism to his advantage. He established himself as a go-to target for Lunarbeast.

Pac-12 love: 4 commit to USC, Oregon, Washington

It was a good day for the Pac-12, as four athletes announced their verbal commitments to conference schools.

Safety C.J. Pollard committed to USC, while linebacker Camilo Eifler chose Washington. Oregon landed two commits in cornerback Jared Mayden and linebacker La'Mar Winston.

Two more athletes, wide receivers Trevon Sidney and Chase Claypool, are set to commit on Friday, per Brian Stumpf, vice president of football relations for Student Sports. While Sidney has USC high on his list, Claypool has Oregon in the mix but also has Notre Dame, Michigan and Rutgers high.

Friday still could be a day where the Pac-12 clean sweeps the commits at The Opening.

No. 1 center gets high praise from DTs

Baveon Johnson was the talk of the linemen Wednesday. As Thursday was a day for the offensive and defensive linemen to work out in pads and helmets, the nation's top-ranked center was menacing in the trenches, serving as an enforcer in one-on-one drills.

Considering that the defensive line crop present—including seven 5-star prospects—is among the most loaded position groups, the offensive linemen had their hands full. Johnson made some of the drills look easier than expected.

And he gained more respect from the defenders.

"He's probably the best out here," defensive tackle Antwuan Jackson said.

"He's the real deal," defensive tackle Kendell Jones Jr. added. "He's a strong guy. All that's going to beat a guy like that is technique. Obviously, I've got a lot more developing to do."

Buechele remains atop Elite 11 standings

Quarterback Shane Buechele led the initial Elite 11 rankings on Tuesday, and on Thursday, the 4-star Texas commit maintained the top spot.

Buechele didn't do anything Thursday to hurt his case in keeping the ranking through Friday. Competing for the Fly Rush seven-on-seven squad, Buechele was impressive throughout the day.

The Elite 11 winner is expected to be announced Friday evening, and Buechele has a legitimate shot at taking home the prize. 

Bama still 'a favorite' for Diggs

Trevon Diggs was supposed to commit on July 3 but postponed the announcement. He said discussion with older brother and NFL wide receiver Stefon Diggs played a role in that decision.

"He's been through this while process himself, so he's able to offer advice whenever I need it," Trevon Diggs said of his brother. "I trust him, listened to him and decided to push things back."

Diggs said Alabama is still "a favorite," and he's in no rush to announce a decision. The Crimson Tide were identified as his leader earlier this year. Additionally, Diggs mentioned potential visits to Clemson, West Virginia and LSU.

Patterson's recruiting continues with Florida CB

A few athletes have raved about the player-recruiting skills of 5-star quarterback Shea Patterson. Add Trayvon Mullen to that list.

Mullen, a 4-star cornerback with 46 reported offers, talked about how Patterson hyped up Ole Miss and how Patterson wanted him to be a future teammate.

"He's a great dude. I feel like he's a great person and a great quarterback," Mullen said of Patterson. "He's one of the best out here. With him going to Ole Miss, I feel like he could go and play right away.

"I feel like he's someone I probably would listen to and go to his school. I don't think he'd sell me wrong."

2017 Jack Anderson: 'It's a man's game here'

The potential is there for 4-star 2017 offensive lineman Jack Anderson. During lineman drills Thursday, Anderson showed that he was just as talented as his older counterparts.

But Anderson, who has more than 40 offers, didn't leave the field without having a newfound respect for the talent surrounding him.

"It's an honor to compete here as a younger player. It's a big thing for any underclassman, especially in the trenches," he said. "It teaches you mental and physical toughness because they don't take it easy in these drills. It's a man's game here."

There were times when Anderson held his own in drills and showed he wouldn't back away from any challenge. He showed why he's ranked as the nation's top-ranked offensive guard in his class with his upper-body and lower-body strength, as well as his overall technique.

Staff writers Tyler Donohue and Sanjay Kirpalani contributed to this report.

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