It would be hard for Chris Donald to be solely focused on his upcoming college decision.

He's got a lot on his mind.

Donald lost a teammate and a close friend three weeks ago when Brandon Snyder died April 11 of what the coroner ruled as asphyxiation.

"He's always going to be there with you," Donald said as he was preparing for his high school prom on Friday night. "It's been really tough."

Snyder's death occurred just two days after Donald returned from a visit to Knoxville. A scheduled trip to Oxford, Miss., to inspect the Rebels was suddenly on hold for the 6-foot-3, 220-pound linebacker from Huntingdon High School.

"Both of us were linebackers," Donald said. "He was the other outside linebacker. He was the fullback when I was the running back. We were very close. We used to pick him up and take him home to school."

Donald, who is one of top two prospects in Tennessee, has said he is very close to committing to UT.

First, Donald said he will take a visit to Ole Miss in the next two weeks. It was a visit he promised the Rebels' coaches he'd make before committing.

Then comes his decision.

"I'm probably going to have one shortly thereafter," Donald said.