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SIAA's No.2 Overall Player Walter Nolen Releases Final 3 Schools

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Powell (Tenn.) High School Defensive Lineman Walter Nolen has released his final 3 schools, including Georgia, Tennessee and Texas A&M. 

This is a bit of a shakeup from when Nolen told reporters in Neyland Stadium that he was focused on Florida, Tennessee, and Texas A&M.

Nolen just made the announcement on his Twitter account Tuesday evening, but he offered a quote on each school prior to the public release.

On Georgia: “Georgia is just a place I can see myself growing as a player on the field.”

On Tennessee: “Tennessee is home and ain't nothing going to change that.”

On Texas A&M: “A&M is just a place I can see myself dominating on the best defense in the conference and I got major respect to their coaching staff.”

Nolen's elimination of Florida comes as a bit of a surprise, but there is still likely plenty of time for all suitors on the outside looking in at this top list of schools.

A&M's emergence comes on the heels of a visit to campus at the end of July.

"Really, I just enjoyed being there as a whole," Nolen previously told VR2 on SI. "I had a special time from the time I stepped off the plane. With the coaches, it was just fun and being able to talk to them."

The Vols re-emerged into Nolen's previous list cut to five, and they have remained a factor since.

Just talking and staying in touch, honestly," Nolen said about Tennessee's re-emergence. "Just their communication, really."

Another important factor has been the relationship Nolen has built with Tennessee Defensive Line Coach Rodney Garner since he arrived in Knoxville.

"He has been real important," Nolen said about Garner. "If I was to come here, when I would be in meetings, I would be with him. Him and my strength and conditioning would be who I would be with most of the time, so those are big relationships I have got."

Tennessee managed to get Nolen to campus twice unofficially during the month of June, as he spent several hours with the staff in Knoxville, which opened the door for them to swing back into his recruitment.

"That was important," Nolen said about his two visits to campus in June. "It was fun, but it gave me the opportunity to see some more of everything."

Nolen is unsure of when a decision will come, but like this unexpected list cut, it could come at any time.

"It probably won't be August, but whenever it comes, it comes," Nolen said of a posible decision.