The Opening Day 2: The game is up for grabs

BEAVERTON, Ore. – If Nike's The Opening is any indication, the game of football is indeed growing.

We're not talking popularity or participation folks. We're speaking vertical.

The elite prep players – particularly those going after passes in Saturday's 7-on-7 competition – appear taller, leaner and longer.

"These guys are giants out here," said Cottonwood (Salt Lake City, Utah) quarterback Cooper Bateman, no shorty himself at almost 6-foot-4 inches.

Said 6-2, 195-pound Central (Fresno, Calif.) safety Hatari Byrd: "It looks like basketball players out there playing football."

Like LeBron James long – thick and athletic – not wiry Kevin Durant.

"It's changed to a game of height," said linebacker Marcus Robinson, a 6-3½, 210-pounder from Memphis East (Memphis, Tenn.) "You got tall receivers, tall linebackers, tall everything now."

It's most apparent during around the Nike campus and showcase this weekend – especially in the 7-on-7s where quarterbacks often simply put the ball up very high for guys like Ricky Seals-Jones, a 6-6, 220-pound specimen from Sealy (Texas) who was one of the most impressive offensive players throughout the day.

A quarterback for his high school team and also a star basketball player, Seals-Jones – MaxPreps' No. 8 recruit overall from the Class of 2013 who is listed as an athlete – had numerous impressive catches under duress, finished off with a beautiful 65-yard catch-and-run from quarterback Christian Hackenberg (Fork Union Military Academy, Va.) to seal 25-14 win for Alpha Speed over the Land Sharks.

Seals-Jones decommitted to Texas about a month ago but still has the Longhorns as a leader in his recruitment, along with Baylor, LSU, Oregon and Texas A&M.

"I'm trying to get him back," said Celina (Texas) offensive tackle Jake Raulerson, the first Texas commit. "He's still my buddy. We'll see what happens."

But Seals-Jones is just one of many lengthy targets for the camp's six grateful quarterbacks. Of the 32 wideouts, 11 are 6-3 or taller including 6-4¼ Corey Robinson (San Antonio Christian, Texas), whose 7-foot dad and former NBA great David Robinson followed Saturday's action up-and-down the perfectly-manicured 300-yard long Ronoldo Field.

The nation's top-ranked receiver is 6-4, 200-pound Florida-bound Ahmad Fulwood (Bishop Kenny-Jacksonville, Fla.), who has been limited with an achilles injury.

The days of strictly quick, speedy, small wide receivers like Cliff Branch and Steve Smith is long gone. At least around these parts. 

Doubling the troubles for defenses is trying to stay with towering tight ends like O.J. Howard (Autauga Academy, Prattville, Ala.), Jake Butt (Pickerington North, Ohio) and Arshad Jackson (Lovejoy, Ga.), all who are 6-6.

Alabama-bound Howard, the No. 12 overall recruit, is a particularly rangy and physical. 

"Around here, you got to have your springs on," Marcus Robinson said.

Not only are these tall tight end targets tall, but fast and athletic – the best of the bunch Saturday might have been 6-4 Ohio State-bound Marcus Baugh (JW North (Riverside, Calif.), who had several key grabs and touchdowns.

Hackenberg rarely had to worry about over-throwing the ball with targets like Baugh, Seals-Jones and Paul Harris (6-3).

That said, defenses here combat the tree receivers with large structures themselves. The 50-50 balls were well contested. Of the 17 linebackers, eight are at least 6-3, led by 6-4 South Carolina-bound Matt Rolin (Briar Woods (Ashburn, Va.). Nine of the 25 cornerbacks and all 12 safeties stand at least 6-feet. Only three of the corners are shorter than 5-10 and nine safeties are at least 6-1.

That's length you might not see in the NFL a decade ago.   

"You're always going to have tall guys to throw to," Bateman said. "But out here you're going against really tall defenders – they're houses. And on top of that, they're fast. Really fast. Compared to what we see back home, these windows are 10 times smaller."

Said Byrd, an uncommitted 192-pound safety: "These boys are here are tall but I like going up with them. It's fun and challenging. It's my job to go up there with them."

CROSSING COLORS: Baugh had an interesting surprise when he first arrived at The Opening. His roommate was none other than Michigan-commit Butt. We repeat, Baugh has committed to Ohio State.

"When I walked in the room, I saw his name on the other bed," Baugh said. "I knew who he was and where he was going. All I could do is laugh. We haven't done any talking about it."

BYRD ON RECRUITING: Byrd said he's narrowed his college choices between UCLA, Washington, Cal, Notre Dame and Oklahoma. Nice choices.

"It's going to be a pretty hard decision," he said.

Asked the best part of the recruiting process: "A lot of people want to talk to you."

And the worst part: "They want to talk to you all the time.

"I'm not complaining. I'd rather be in this position than not. Overall, it's all worth it."

MAKING RIGHT DECISION: Hillside (Durham, N.C.) tight end Josh McNeil was scheduled to commit during The Opening at some point but pulled out of doing so this week. McNeil only started playing organized football a year ago. 

"I just felt like I was rushing my commitment and felt I wasn't making the right decision," he said. "Two days ago, I kind of thought I knew where I was going.

"I just want to take a couple more visits to make sure I can make the right decision because I'm going to have to live with it the rest of my life."

McNeil mentioned visiting Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Washington State and Miami and then committing in the first week of August or so. He added he'll likely to take all five officials too.

"I just want to make sure I'm making the right decision. I just want to go somewhere and be comfortable."

More news and notes

* Alpharetta (Ga.) defensive end Carl Lawson was sent home by organizers for unspecified reasons.

* Skyline (Dallas, Texas) wide receiver Ra'shaad Samples also committed on Saturday, to Oklahoma State.

* Centennial (Corona, Calif.) offensive lineman Cameron Hunt, pledged on national television to Cal.

"I chose them because of good academics, I felt good with the coaching staff, I could fit in there and could see myself going there," Hunt said. "I can be successful there next year and not even the next four but the next 10 or 15."

* LSU commit and incoming Loranger (Loranger, La.) senior Jeryl Brazil ran one of the fastest 40 times (4.32) on Friday but was more excited about the growing Tigers' recruiting class. "The latest is DeSean Smith and he's a good dude," Brazil said. "He went to 7-on-7 with us and as soon as we left, we got back to LSU and just chilled and stuff. I guess he really liked it because he ended up committing.

"I hope the next (guy to commit) is Ricky Jefferson, he's a really good friend of mine and I really want to be on the same squad as me. I'm really hoping that we can get him."

* According to CBS recruiting expert Bryan Fischer, Sandalwood (Jacksonville, Fla.) defensive end Damarcus Walker has been one of the more impressive defensive linemen at The Opening, taking reps at both tackle and end and generally getting what he wants. It's been a busy few weeks for him after deciding not to commit in June and visit a few schools unofficially.

"Tennessee, Alabama, Auburn, I went to Florida and that's about it," he said. "Those teams that I just named, including USC, those schools are recruiting me very hard. I just want to weigh my options."

E-mail Mitch Stephens at mstephens@maxpreps.com or follow him on Twitter @MitchMashMax. Bryan Fischer contributed to this report.