Wide receiver Joshua Shelmire was the first player in the 2016 SMU recruiting class (photo by Shelmire family).

Joshua Shelmire, a wide receiver at Lutheran South Academy in Houston, Texas, understands why the speculation exists. Coaches everywhere covet receivers on the north side of six feet tall who offer speed and production, and with a little luck, academic prowess.

A resident of nearby Dickinson, Texas, Shelmire offers good size — “the recruiting services say I’m 6-2, but I’m really 6-1.5 and 181 pounds,” he says — and the kind of speed (4.35 in the 40-yard dash) that would make any college coach take notice. Add to that the 57 receptions he put up as a junior for 1,053 yards (18.5 per reception) and nine touchdowns, along with his 4.11 grade point average that had Ivy League schools among those lining up to try to secure his services after high school, and it’s easy to see why Shelmire’s list of suitors is fairly lengthy, and likely will grow throughout his senior season.

“Probably,” Shelmire said when asked if he expected more offers to pile up during the 2015 season. “But that doesn’t matter. My recruitment is over, and my (high school) coach (Stephen Robbins) knows that.”

So is Shelmire an elite student who happens to play football, or a standout football player who excels in the classroom? He said academics always come first — his stellar performance in the classroom earned him TAPPS (Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools) Academic All-State honors — and added he chose SMU in large part because the school offers the major he intends to pursue: environmental science.

But Shelmire also is a standout football player. Yes, he has the sprinter’s speed to blow past many defensive backs on deep passes, but he also is a willing and able blocker who excels at an array of pass routes, drawing comparisons to former Buffalo Bills first-round pick — and Chad Morris pupil — Sammy Watkins.

“I don’t know,” he said when asked if he thought the Watkins comparison is a fair one, “but I can see why you might say it. I run a lot of deep routes, and I can jump — (Watkins) does that, too. He’s a threat to score all the time, and I try to be that way, too.”

While Shelmire brings a variety of physical and mental tools to the Pioneers’ offense, his pure speed is impossible to ignore. Not only does he often leave would-be defenders in his wake, he also excels on the Lutheran South track team, having qualified as a sophomore for the state track and field championship in two sprint relays, the 200-meter dash (finishing fifth in the state) and the long jump (seventh). That he is a multidimensional, multi-sport star should come as no surprise, as he will be the third member of his family to play college football; he has an uncle who played halfback at Alcorn State, and a cousin who played tight end at Southern.

His commitment to SMU, while solid, is relatively new. The Mustangs first made contact with Shelmire when new defensive line coach Buddy Wyatt visited LSA in late January.

Shelmire is a deep threat because of the speed that helped him qualify for the TAPPS state track meet in four events ... as a sophomore (photo by Shelmire family).

“We got along really good, and he offered me right there,” Shelmire said. “He seemed really excited, really enthusiastic, and he made me really want to go to (SMU’s) Junior Day.”

Through continuous contact, largely through Twitter, the mutual admiration between Shelmire and SMU grew to the point that Shelmire arrived at Junior Day already hoping the experience would solidify his choice.

“Me and my family discussed it beforehand, so I already knew where I wanted to go to school” before arriving at Junior Day, Shelmire said. “Once I got to the campus and met the coaches … it was an easy decision.

“I got to meet (receivers) Coach (Justin) Stepp and Coach Morris, and I really liked both of them. It was nothing specific, but just the way they treated me and my family. If you spend any time around them, you’ll see what I mean. Coach Morris is a great family man, who really emphasizes character, cares about his players and really wants to win, just like my head coach (at Lutheran South: Robbins). Once I got to campus and got to meet the coaches, I knew I was going to commit.”

Shelmire said he is relieved that his commitment to the Mustangs means he now can focus all of his attention on track and his upcoming senior season. The attention that likely will come from another stellar season, he said, does not concern him.

"A commitment is a commitment, and I’m committed to SMU," he said. "Like I said, my recruitment is over."