Georgia Southern Impact Transfer: LV Bunkley-Shelton

via @_.lvbunkley/Instagram

As the countdown continues toward the 2024 football season, we will be taking a look at some of the new faces in the program. Today’s spotlight is on fifth-year wide receiver and Oklahoma transfer LV Bunkley-Shelton.

Bunkley-Shelton was a highly touted four-star prospect in the class of 2020 out of California. As a cornerback he logged 76 tackles, six interceptions and several pass deflections. Despite these impressive statistics, it was on offense where Bunkley-Shelton truly shined. As a junior wideout, he hauled 81 receptions for over 1,000 yards and three scores before adding another 51 receptions for 630 yards and three more touchdowns.

His elite athleticism earned him offers from dozens of Power 4 schools including Florida, Texas, Oregon, Ohio State and Michigan. It was a Clay Helton-led USC team that caught his eye first as he initially committed to the Trojans. During a televised announcement at the All-American Bowl, however, he stunned everyone when he donned an Arizona State hat and committed to the Sun Devils instead.

In his first year as a Sun Devil, Bunkley-Shelton earned immediate playing time and proved to be an excellent contributor to the offense, despite having a shortened season due to COVID. He had receptions in all four games and finished the season with 11 receptions for 100 yards. As a redshirt sophomore, Bunkley-Shelton played in 12 games and caught 33 passes for 418 yards and two scores. He also contributed on special teams and returned a few punts when called upon. 

Bunkley-Shelton sought greener pastures following two seasons in Tempe and found them in Norman, Oklahoma. He was projected as a backup slot receiver by Sooners Illustrated and many Oklahoma fans were excited about the new, talented receiver they had picked up. Unfortunately, fate had other ideas; in his junior and senior seasons combined, he tallied 5 receptions for 57 yards. After his senior season, he decided to transfer to Statesboro. When asked why he chose Georgia Southern, Bunkley-Shelton did not mince words: “Coach Helton and Coach Ellis.” 

Bunkley-Shelton brings experience and talent to the Eagles' slot receiver position. At 5-foot-11 and 200-pounds, his impressive speed and acceleration complements his ability to turn short receptions into substantial gains. His time at Arizona State underscores his potential, highlighting his knack for transforming routine catches into game-altering plays with his agility after the catch.

Put simply, LV Bunkley-Shelton is the kind of skill position player that any coach in America would love to have. In the 2024 season, I believe we’ll see all the hype come to fruition. Expect to see Bunkley-Shelton put into positions where the offense can get the ball to him quickly and make some moves downfield, especially in slants and out routes. He averaged 10 yards per reception at both of his previous stops and I expect he’ll improve upon this at Southern and be a vital part of an excellent receiving corps.