The Opening 2016: Biggest Takeaways from Day 3

BEAVERTON, Oregon — Thursday was the last day when just quarterbacks, receivers and tight ends dominated the action at The Opening.

Those position groups held a workout for the third consecutive day in preparation for the seven-on-seven tournament beginning Saturday.

While they were busy practicing, the rest of the position groups—running backs, offensive and defensive linemen, linebackers and defensive backs—arrived in the metro Portland area.

With new players coming in and more action on the field, there were plenty of newsworthy nuggets to digest Thursday.

Let’s take a look at a few of the biggest takeaways from the third day of The Opening.

Nation’s Top ILB Drops Top 10

The public recruiting process of 4-star linebacker Anthony Hines III reached a new chapter when the nation's No. 1 inside linebacker chopped his list of 90 reported offers to 10. 

Hines released a top-10 video he put together by way of YouTube, and Auburn, Florida, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, SMU, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M and UCLA all made the cut.

After releasing a top 20 back in August 2015, he's whittled his list of suitors in half—with Auburn representing the only new program to enter into his list of finalists.

"It was tough, very tough," Hines told Bleacher Report's Damon Sayles. "A lot of schools were really close but didn't quite make [the top 10]. We'll see if the other schools continue to recruit me."

Hines, ranked No. 72 overall in the 2017 class, arrived in Oregon Thursday afternoon and dropped the video shortly after his arrival. He's a linebacker who finished his junior season with 205 tackles.

The next step? Hines is hoping his next big announcement will be a verbal commitment.

He is expected to be an early enrollee at the college he chooses.

"I want that to be the final step," he said. "I know it's going to be tough, though. If it's harder than what I think it'll be, I'll just cut my list down to a top three first."

Wide Receivers Benefit from Early Arrival

As we noted Tuesday, format changes to the event brought in tight ends and receivers early in an effort to gain more synergy on the offensive side of things.

Curtis Conway, a former NFL receiver on The Opening’s staff who now coaches young pass-catchers, is a big fan of getting his guys in with the quarterbacks.

“I think the biggest thing for a wide receiver is to be on the same page as the quarterback,” Conway told Bleacher Report. “You don’t want to come in the day before or the day of something like this and not have chemistry with the quarterback. That’s one thing about that pairing. You have to work together and develop that comfort zone.”

That chemistry has grown each day, as the players have earned more and more reps.

Working out the kinks and earning the trust of the quarterback are critical factors he believes will help his unit when the tournament begins.

“Last year, the difference was that the guy had to get wide open. Then, the quarterback might throw it, or he just threw it to the first open progression,” Conway explained. “Now, he may see a guy that is his first progression who may be covered, but he understands the guy can go get the ball since they’ve worked together the last two days.”

While he admits he’s been hard on his group and wants to see them perform well against the defensive backs, the former USC All-American and 12-year NFL veteran has noticed a trend of bigger receivers among this year’s crop.

He plans to work with them on the finer points of using their size to their advantage.

“Receivers come in so many different sizes, so you have to understand who you are and use who you are,” Conway said. “The bigger guys have to learn to use their bodies as a weapon, and that’s something they don’t really understand right now. But you can see them learning it. I’m recognizing that’s one thing I’m going to be focusing on moving forward.”

Gibbs Out to Reclaim 5-Star Status

Even though he’s making his second consecutive trip to The Opening, 4-star corner Deangelo Gibbs is treating it as a proving ground.

The 6’2”, 204-pound junior from Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia, is quick to note that rankings don’t mean much to him at this stage. He was one of a handful of players who dropped in the latest batch of 247Sports composite rankings, according to Chad Carson of 247Sports.

Still, the competitor inside of him is anxious to show why he’s worthy of being billed as one of the elite talents in the 2017 cycle.

“This is the biggest stage, and I want to compete and show my talent,” Gibbs said. “There’s nothing I can really say. I just have to go out and prove it on the field. Actions speak louder than words to me.”

He's the nation's No. 4 corner and No. 34 player overall and is scheduled to be an early enrollee at whichever school he chooses, so the time to make a decision is rapidly approaching.

However, Gibbs insists he’s in no rush to commit.

SEC members Florida and Tennessee were the last two schools to host the Peach State standout on campus. Those two programs, along with Auburn, Georgia and Miami, are among the schools he said are coming after him the hardest.

However, a powerhouse from the ACC has jumped into the mix for Gibbs and is hoping for an opportunity to get a visit from him before his senior season begins. 

“I want to get down to Florida State. I haven’t been down there yet. They’ve been in contact with me recently,” Gibbs said.

He doesn’t have any other visit plans but admits he has a “couple of ideas” for trips to potentially take in the fall.

He will take into account a few factors when making his decision.

“How I fit into the environment of the school and how I fit into the system at a school," he said. "I’m also looking at the opportunity to play early.”

2019 Phenom LB Excited to Meet 2017’s Top LB

Among the field of 166 athletes on Nike’s campus this week, class of 2019 linebacker Owen Pappoe has already done something no one before him has achieved.

The 6’0”, 200-pounder from Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia, is the first rising sophomore ever invited to the nation’s premier summer camp showcase, according to Bleacher Report’s Tyler Donohue.

Pappoe described the moment he found out that he made history.

“I was with a bunch of my friends and people started DM’ing me on Twitter. The guys [at The Opening] sent me the invitation and I was just super excited,” Pappoe said. "I want to be the first player to get here three years straight. Each year at the regionals, I’m going to come out and compete just like I did this year. I just want to compete.

Additionally, his arrival in Oregon will give him a chance to meet a player who is probably more familiar with his journey than most—2017 5-star linebacker Dylan Moses.

"

Big shouts to Owen Pappoe (@opfreak15). The youngest participant in #TheOpening history. pic.twitter.com/L82uqB4jya

— Damon Sayles (@DamonSayles) July 7, 2016"

Moses has been a household name in recruiting circles since he was a freshman, and he’s making his second consecutive trip to The Opening.

“I’ve watched Dylan’s film a lot. It’s going to be nice to finally meet him. He was in a similar position I’m in now so that will be cool to pick his brain a little bit,” Pappoe said.

With more than 30 offers under his belt, Pappoe has already garnered attention from some of the nation’s top programs, including Alabama, Georgia, Nebraska and Tennessee.

The Volunteers were the last school to host him, and a trip to a Big 12 powerhouse is next up on his agenda. 

“I'll be visiting Oklahoma later this month,” he said.

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Follow @SanjayKirpalani