After a lengthy portal season, the Razorback coaching staff has finally landed the first commitment of the 2024 class in four-star wing Jalen Shelley out of Link Year Prep in Branson, Missouri.
Shelley completed his second visit to Fayetteville over the weekend, which was enough for him to commit to head coach Eric Musselman.
At 6-foot-8, Shelley possesses great height and length for his position. He fills the versatile wing spot Musselman loves to utilize and will knock down outside shots and even handle the ball on the perimeter. The Frisco, Texas, native is long and athletic with an ability to create for himself and his teammates.
With Shelley's commitment, Musselman continues his streak of landing Rivals150 talent. All 13 of the freshmen who have signed to play at Arkansas during Musselman's tenure have been part of the Rivals150 in their respective class.
Shelley is ranked No. 35 nationally by Rivals, which makes him the sixth straight commitment to be a top-40 prospect. All three of the 2022 signees — Anthony Black, Nick Smith Jr. and Jordan Walsh — were top-25 prospects. Current freshman Layden Blocker was No. 24 in the 2023 class and his teammate Baye Fall was No. 36.
Also of note, Shelley's brother is Jason Shelley, who was the starting quarterback for Missouri State football for the 2021-22 seasons.
Coached by former Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino, Jason was the Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2021. He nearly helped the Bears pull off an upset against the Hogs in Fayetteville in 2022, but Arkansas held Missouri State off with a 38-27 win.
Jalen Shelley is the first member of Arkansas' 2024 class, but there are still other targets the coaching staff are pursuing. Stay tuned to HawgBeat for the latest information, plus insider notes on The Trough premium message board.
