HOUSTON, Texas -- After earning an invite to The Opening due to a strong testing performance at the Houston SPARQ Combine several weeks ago, Missouri City (Texas) Fort Bend Marshall cornerback Kendall Sheffield made his way out to the Houston Nike Football Camp on Sunday at the Kinkaid School, but did not participate.
The 5'11, 180-pounder who is a consensus five-star prospect, the top player in the state of Texas, and the No. 9 player nationally in the 247Sports Composite rankings spoke with SB Nation Recruiting coming off his visit to LSU for the spring game held by the Tigers on Saturday.
"I would say watching the defensive backs," Sheffield said when asked about his favorite part of the trip. "Especially No. 21, Rashard Robinson -- big, tall, physical, and he had good technique. That's what I liked."
Sheffield has developed an affinity for the LSU coaching staff.
"They're cool, especially coach Raymond, that's my recruiter. We've been talking and building a relationship. He likes that I'm long, tall, physical, and I'm fast."
With all the talk about physicality, does Sheffield want to play in a program that uses a lot of press man coverage?
"It doesn't matter," he said. "I just want to get up there."
The perceived leader for Sheffield for some time has been Texas A&M, as the speedy cornerback has made numerous trips to College Station over the last year.
"It's a good school," he said of the Aggies. "I've been up there a lot lately and I've just been building a relationship with defensive backs coach Joseph, who came from Nebraska. He's very technical and I like that. He showed us a lot of tape of cornerbacks at Nebraska, how they did in practice and how that translated to making big-time plays in games."
One school that Sheffield has not visited in some time is Texas. He said that he has not yet been in contact with new head coach Charlie Strong, but his father did reach out to the Longhorn staff recently and they are tentatively planning on making it to the Orange-White game on April 19.
Since the Marshall product is focused on track right now, he has not scheduled any visits for the spring or summer yet, but he would like to make it to Ohio State and Florida State. He hasn't visited Columbus yet, but likes the recent history the Buckeyes have of producing high-level defensive backs. The Seminoles are appealing because they have been producing big, strong, physical defensive backs.
And despite an extensive offer list, there are three schools that Sheffield would like to hear from -- Georgia, Miami, and South Carolina.
He doesn't yet have any plans to release a top five and said that all of his schools are even, but was willing to say that there is a strong appeal to playing in the SEC.
Already committed to play in the Under Armour All-American game, Sheffield plans on announcing his decision during the game.