2014 BYU Football Newcomers: Michael Shelton

Leading up to Fall Camp at the end of the month, here at Lawless Republic we will be giving you a daily glimpse at the signees and return missionaries that will be part of the 2014 BYU Football team.

Just 46 days remain until the Cougars kick off against UCONN. As the time remaining before we start watching football and stop just talking about football approaches, Lawless Republic continues its highlights of new BYU players looking to make their way into the playing rotation. Tonight we highlight DB Mike Shelton.

Shelton committed to BYU out of Wakefield High School in Raleigh, NC. Shelton was one of the highest ranked players in BYU’s 2014 class, as a 3-star recruit with incredible upside. Coach Bronco Mendenhall’s trademark defensive prowess will have a new look and evolution this year and Shelton could end up being a very important part of the Cougar secondary this fall.

Most impressive of Shelton’s profile is his raw athleticism. He will bring incredible speed (4.43 in the 40 yard dash) to a defensive secondary that looks to be as strong as I can remember BYU having in a long time.

The video below shows a few of the attributes that will make him successful. As you watch the highlight video, pay attention to the following:

• Turnovers: Shelton has an eye for the ball and aggressively positions himself to make turnovers
• Athletic with the ball: Shelton played both ways, though he was recruited to BYU as a DB. But in the video Shelton proves to be an athletic ballcarrier from three different positions. He returns a couple of INTs for TDs, returns kickoffs and punts, and also recorded 20 catches for 277 yards and 4 TDs. His speed is apparent, but also apparent is his strength as several different plays show how difficult he is to bring down.
• He can play both cornerback and safety positions and seemed to do both comfortably.
• His team ran a good mix of man-to-man coverage and zone coverages and Shelton appeared just as comfortable at both. He plays physical, bump coverage, while also being able to drop back into deep thirds or quarters and keep his receiver in front of him.

Outlook:

There’s a reason that Shelton was the #86 overall DB in the country in the 2014 recruiting class. Shelton also considered signing with Auburn before finally announcing his commitment to BYU. The upside with this kid is huge. He enrolled at BYU in January and took part in spring drills, a move which will hopefully pay off with Shelton seeing some playing time for the Cougars this fall.