Anthony Schlegel never really got caught up in the world of big-time recruiting when he was a senior at Dallas' Highlands Park High School, but the 21-year-old linebacker is about to now.

Last week, Schlegel told his coaches that life at the Academy just wasn't for him and he was going to transfer. "I really love football and at the Academy, everything is the military first, then academics and football after that," Schlegel told ESPN.com Tuesday.

	Anthony Schlegel notched 118 tackles, including three sacks, last year for Air Force.

The 6-foot-2, 241-pounder, who only had offers from SMU and Air Force as a prep, led the Academy in tackles last season and was the defensive player of the game in the Falcons 20-13 loss to Virginia Tech in the San Francisco Bowl.

On his drive home from Colorado, Schlegel visited Texas A&M and met with new Aggies defensive coordinator Carl Torbush. Schlegel says he liked College Station, but didn't think it was a great fit since A&M was switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3 and would be flooded with linebackers.

From there, he scouted out TCU and came away very excited. "They had the top D in the country in 2000, they just had a linebacker (LaMarcus McDonald) going pro and I love their system because their linebackers get to blitz a lot," he said.

This weekend, Schlegel is heading to South Carolina. He already knows that the Gamecocks are losing a linebacker next year. But this week should be just the beginning for the all-conference middle linebacker now that word is spreading about his availability.

Initially, Schlegel had hoped to pick a school and move on so he could practice with the team during spring ball, but now he doesn't expect to make a decision within the next two weeks at the earliest.

"I wanted to get it done right away, but I don't want to have any regrets so I want to take my time and make the right decision," Schlegel said. "Hopefully, I can find a place that has the same close team unity that we had at the Academy."

Where ever he ends up, Schlegel figures to make an impact when he becomes eligible in 2004. A two-year starter for Air Force, he made 118 tackles last season and had three sacks, earning all-Mountain West honors. As a prep, he set two world records in the 19-and-under class in the deadlift. He also won a national title as a wrestler, although it was probably his dedication to that sport that cost him some looks from more big-time football schools. "Since I was dieting for wrestling, I think that might've thrown some people off," he says.

In addition to A&M, TCU and South Carolina, Schlegel has been in contact with Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Notre Dame, Kentucky, Wake Forest and Fresno State. And the recruiting war for him appears to just be heating up.

"I would love to stay home in Texas," Schlegel says, "but if 'the right place' requires me to go to Pitt or Penn State or West Virginia or whoever, then that's what's I'll do."

Bruce Feldman covers college football for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at bruce.feldman@espnmag.com.