Caleb Kelly may have released his top five this week, but that doesn't mean he is close to a decision.
On Monday, July 17, Kelly named Michigan State, Ole Miss, Stanford, Tennessee and Virginia as his favorites. The 6-foot-3, 203 pound edge rusher out of College Park (Ga.) Hapeville Charter is still a ways from his decision despite having the favorites.
"I am done with summer visits, I am focused on my senior season and I am not anywhere close to committing right now," said Kelly. "I am going to take my time, I am going to take my official visits and I will start to set up my official visits soon.
Out of the five, Tennessee and Virginia are the only two to have hosted Kelly on a visit so far. He was in Knoxville (Tenn.) in June to hang out.
"I like the mentality at Tennessee and the family environment was great too. The coaches made me feel important and it felt like I belonged there.
"I have been in contact a lot with coach [Tommy] Thigpen and he wants me to get back up there. He wanted me there for Orange Carpet Day, but I couldn't make it. I will be back for a game in the season."
His visit to Virginia came early in the spring and Kelly liked what he saw.
"I got to see the team workout and I like the defensive scheme they run, I like how they use the outside linebackers and how they went about things. Coach [Kelly] Poppinga and I talk a couple of times and we have a good relationship."
Stanford is the school showing the most interest right now. They send the most mail, they show a lot of interest through social media and Kelly is open to going that far away.
"When you say Stanford, everyone knows that they have great football and great education," said Kelly. "They know how to get guys to the NFL, but they also offer a great degree. It is a school I really want to visit."
A lot of what Kelly said about Stanford, he said about the Spartans.
"Michigan State is another top tier school with football and academics, so there is a lot to like about them. They have two coaches recruiting me, so that is pretty cool too. We had communication every day in the spring, but it has slowed down a little bit now."
Ole Miss has a lot of eyes on the program due to off the field concerns, and while Kelly has that in mind, he still likes the Rebels.
"I like the school and I see Ole Miss as a big program, but they are under the storm a little bit right now. They are talking to me almost every day right now and I like the coaches. I would like to get out there to see the facilities, talk to the coaches and just see how they make it through this storm. I like the overall program."
Kelly is being recruited primarily to play outside linebacker. He said Stanford and Tennessee could be a little higher than the other three schools on his list right now, but that all five schools are close.
He is looking for a chance to play early when he makes his decision.
