Paul Myerberg

USA TODAY Sports

BEAVERTON, Ore. — The Opening closed much like it began.

This year's event had an Alabama feel, beginning with the start of Elite 11 competition on Sunday – dominated by a future signee in quarterback Blake Barnett – and continuing through Thursday's 7-on-7 finals – dominated by a pair of future members of the Crimson Tide in Barnett and wide receiver Calvin Ridley, the tournament's MVP.

There was strength to be found in numbers: Alabama had 10 verbal commitments among the event's 160 participants, the most of any program in the country. Digging deeper, Alabama and fellow Southeastern Conference rivals Texas A&M and Georgia accounted for roughly one in every seven recruits.

On an individual level, however, there was room for other prospects to make their mark. Each of the 160 invitees were special, in one way or another; a dozen stood out among the pack, making a case for being the elite invitees at the most elite summertime showcase on the recruiting circuit.

Listed alphabetically, here are 12 senior-to-be prospects who made the best impression at this week's competition:

QB Blake Barnett, Corona (Calif.) Santiago | Committed to Alabama

Barnett wasn't named MVP of the Elite 11 competition for one spectacular play, or one spectacular drive, or one spectacular series of drills; he was named MVP for being spectacular from his first snap through his last, leading quarterback coach Trent Dilfer to nickname the future Alabama signee "Steady Eddie."

Alabama's getting a good one: Barnett has a good arm, great makeup and extremely polished footwork, assets that should put him in position to compete for the starting job as a true freshman should Jacob Coker be a one-and-done transfer. If not, look for Barnett to quickly assume a spot as the Tide's top backup before becoming a multiple-year starter.

DL Byron Cowart, Seffner (Fla.) Armwood | Considering Alabama, Florida, Oregon and USC

Cowart looks ready for the next level – no, not college, but the next level. He's a fully grown, 255-pound strong side defensive end with the strength, burst and mechanics to be viewed as not just one of the premier defenders in this year's cycle but one of the premier players, period. At times, he was simply unstoppable in one-on-one drills with offensive linemen.

DL Rashan Gary, Paramus (N.J.) Catholic | Considering Alabama, Penn State, South Carolina and Tennessee

Gary's offer list runs through a who's-who of national elite. He's not alone in this regard at an event like The Opening, of course, but for one minor exception: Gary's only a junior. The first underclassman lineman to earn an invite to the event in several years – and perhaps the top player in the class of 2016 – Gary didn't just hold his own against more veteran competition; he was a star. Gary's ceiling seems limitless.

OL Martez Ivey, Apopka (Fla.) | Considering Auburn and Florida

Ivey is already very polished as a run blocker, thanks to his high school's run-first offense, but he showed good footwork and great hands-on strength during Thursday's one-on-one drills. Better yet, you get the impression he's just scratching the surface: Ivey can easily pack 30 pounds onto his current frame while retaining his current athleticism, which helps explain why most recruiting services peg the Floridian as one of the top 25 prospects in the country.

RB Soso Jamabo, Plano (Texas) Plano West | Considering Baylor, Oklahoma, Texas and UCLA

Jamabo saved his best for the 7-on-7 portion of the event, showing the sort of elusiveness rarely seen from a running back with his 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame. He's built like a wide receiver; he moves like a running back. Hence why Jamabo could end up occupying a bit of a hybrid spot in a friendly college system, getting touches in a traditional backfield role while supplying added production at receiver.

OL Andre James, Herriman (Utah) | Committed to UCLA

James' upside was on full display on The Opening's final day, when he fared extremely well during drills against some of the event's top interior linemen. His upside was never in question; now that he's showed he can already hold his own, it's frightening to think about what sort of impact James can make for the Bruins once he adds 20 or 30 pounds to his current frame. He's already a top-notch athlete.

S Derwin James, Haines City (Fla.) | Committed to Florida State

The 7-on-7 drills are hard on safeties and linebackers, who are often left hanging out to dry, so it was particularly impressive to see James patrol the middle of the field with such productive efficiency. The best safety at the event and the next great FSU defensive back, James has the athleticism to run with anyone and the size to intimidate along the back end.

LB Malik Jefferson, Mesquite (Texas) Poteet | Considering Ohio State, Stanford, Texas and UCLA

Jefferson got things rolling by ripping up a 4.38 40-yard dash during first-day testing. He finished preliminary testing with a SPARQ score of 145.65, the second-best total among all invitees, trailing only Louisiana athlete Kirk Merritt. Did I mention Jefferson weighs 210 pounds? Oh, did I mention he's a linebacker? He's a freakishly gifted athlete.

WR Christian Kirk, Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro | Considering Ohio State, Texas A&M and USC

Putting Kirk into a 7-on-7 setting is unfair, essentially, because he's unstoppable. Yeah, he's unstoppable – and probably a pretty good receiver in pads, judging by his current offer list. One of the rare two-time invitees to The Opening, Kirk arrived at Nike with immense hype and matched every expectation – if not faring even better than some projected. If Ridley took home the hardware, Kirk was the best receiver on the field for the duration of the event.

CB Iman Marshall, Long Beach (Calif.) Poly | Considering Florida State, Notre Dame and USC

Every cornerback looks the part during the testing portion of The Opening. Only a select few can hold their own during 7-on-7, however; even fewer can so control wide receivers as to effectively negate one side of the field. Marshall fits into the latter category. While Notre Dame, FSU and others are going to make a full-court press, it's going to be very hard to keep Marshall away from USC.

DL Khalil McKenzie, Concord (Calif.) Clayton Valley Charter | Committed to Tennessee

That McKenzie was heading to Tennessee was a foregone conclusion all week shouldn't detract from a crucial point: This legacy commitment – his father and uncle played at UT – is the biggest get of the Butch Jones era in Knoxville. It's not just about the bloodlines, though they're impressive, and it's not just about the potential, which is off the charts. McKenzie is a 340-pound ball of menace who might be able to control the line of scrimmage as a freshman in the SEC.

WR Calvin Ridley, Coconut Creek (Fla.) Monarch | Committed to Alabama

Ridley quickly developed a strong rapport with Barnett, his 7-on-7 teammate, building the sort of relationship that should blossom further once both reach Tuscaloosa. If anything, Barnett was playing catchup: Ridley is so quick and agile that Barnett had to recalibrate his loft to match his future teammate's athleticism.