When will Slick Shelley decide

Fort Smith (Ark.) Southside wide receiver Slick Shelley is having a good time playing basketball, but he knows that some big steps toward his future are lying on the horizon. Shelley has set up three official visits, to Arkansas, LSU and Tennessee, beginning with a trip to Little Rock on December 10. His impression of the different schools during his time there will go a long way toward determining where he’ll end up.

“I’m looking forward to my visits,” Shelley said. It’ll be fun getting to take the trips, and get out of town and see what the schools have to offer. Right now my schedule is just all filled, and I’m planning on making my decision after my visits.”

Shelley said that he saw all three of his unofficial finalists as unique schools with different positives to offer.

“All three places are unique,” he said. “Arkansas has a lot in it’s past, LSU has a lot of history with what they’ve done recently especially, and Tennessee is a young school now. All three places are trying to recruit pretty hard, and it makes the decision that much harder. It’s going to be tough.”

With his contenders beginning to make in-home visits, Shelley said that he’s lining up the factors that will guide him to a final choice.

“LSU was here for an in-home visit yesterday,” he said. “Coach Collins (Linebackers coach Mike) was here, and we got to see what they had to offer. It was good. I’m really looking to find a place where I can get good playing time, a place with good facilities and where there is an environment I’m comfortable with.

“I have family that lives in Louisiana and some friends that are at Arkansas already, so I don’t think friends or family will be a factor.”

No matter where Shelley ends up, one thing is certain: he’ll be more practiced in the kind of transition he’ll need to get into college life than nearly any of his peers.

“I traveled around and moved a lot as a kid,” said Shelley, who has always been part of a military family. “It’s always tough, but once you get used to it, it’s a lot easier. I think my adjustment to all the changes in college will be easier, too, because I’ve never settled in one place before. It’ll make it easier now.”

Shelley is a four-star prospect at wide receiver, and is the No. 2 overall prospect in Arkansas. He said that his strongest traits at receiver are his sure hands, his height and his knowledge of the fundamentals of receiving.