Nike Relaunches The Opening: The Ultimate Competition for the Best U.S. High School Football Players

Nike is reintroducing The Opening: an invite-only experience that offers the best high school football players across the U.S. the ultimate platform to perform at the highest level.

First introduced in 2011, The Opening changed the game for football recruiting, dominating as the nation’s most exclusive regional competition for top high school athletes. Now, after a seven-year hiatus, Nike is bringing back the elite competition — providing athletes an unmatched opportunity to show off their skills, improve their college recruitment status and advance their football and training knowledge.

The Opening will kick off in Miami (January 16) ahead of the College Football Playoff National Championship, and it will include regional events at NFL facilities in six other cities: Los Angeles (February 22), Indianapolis (March 1), Atlanta (March 8), New Orleans (March 22), New York City (April 12) and Dallas (May 24).

Each exclusive event will bring together the region’s top high school football players to see how they stack up against each other in the 40-yard dash, 20-yard shuttle and vertical jump; position-specific drills and competitions; and one-on-one and seven-on-seven matchups. 

The best of the best (120 athletes total) will be invited to The Opening Finals at Nike’s Philip H. Knight Campus in Beaverton, Oregon. The three-day experience, held June 24-26, represents the best platform for elite athletes to compete against other top talent from across the country, learn from leading Nike coaches and leave it all on the field — with an opportunity to do their region proud and score a potential NIL deal from Nike in the process.

The Opening will amplify athletes’ recruiting and brand platforms by providing unrivaled opportunities for national exposure: All major national recruiting websites will attend the regional events; data and video will be distributed to coaching staffs from all Power Four programs; and athletes will be able to access their video through Hudl. 

Two of the most prominent football creators — Deestroying and AJ Greene — will join Nike on tour, attending each of the regional events to discover which area has the best youth football.

What’s more: Athletes who compete in The Opening will join a storied list of alumni, such as Saquon Barkley, Ja’Marr Chase, Derrick Henry and Patrick Surtain II. Since the program’s inception, 428 alumni have been drafted into the NFL, including 95 first-round selections.

Participants in this year’s events will include top recruits from the class of 2027, as well as standout underclassmen, all competing free of charge. Each athlete will have the opportunity to compete in the most innovative Nike football gear, including cleats, gloves, tops and shorts. 

Learn more at theopening.com.