Signing Day lookback: Shelley picks Randolph-Macon; Edsall high on Shaw

National Signing Day is over, and so is the suspense for a few York County linemen hoping to play college football.

Some, such as York Catholic’s Ian Shelley, weighed their options until the week of signing day. Others, such as Spring Grove’s David Shaw, already knew of their upcoming destinations.

Shelley decided on Monday he would attend Randolph-Macon, a Division III liberal arts college in Ashland, Va. Shelley mulled his choices since last fall while playing for the Fighting Irish, who advanced to the District 3 Class A title game. Between Shelley’s last high school football game and February, he also considered McDaniel College and Gettysburg.

"When I went the first time, I knew this is where I belonged," Shelley said of his choice. "I was at a camp in Richmond and, because I knew one of their coaches, I stopped by there. Then I went down for a day visit and an overnight, and I just got a good feel for the coaches and players. I just loved it."

The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Shelley said it has yet to be decided if he will play offensive tackle or defensive tackle at Randolph-Macon. He intends to major in business marketing or administration.

Meanwhile, Shaw will play on the defensive side of the line for Maryland. Terrapins coach Randy Edsall was in York on Thursday for York Area Sports Night, 24 hours after National Signing Day. The Susquehannock graduate knew Shaw's family from trying to recruit David's older brother, John, who went to Penn State.

"When you watch him on film, he does a good job of getting off the ball quickly and using his hands," Edsall said of David Shaw. "I was very pleased we were able to get him. He's a young guy that can just keep getting better in our program."

As was the case with Shelley at Randolph-Macon, Edsall thought one key was getting Shaw to their College Park, Md., campus to see how he would like it. Edsall extended a scholarship offer in January 2013, and Shaw accepted by June.

Shaw and Shelley are not the only senior high school linemen who will play at the college level. Kennard-Dale's 6-foot-3, 325-pound Matt Belt is part of Shippensburg's recruiting class. Red Raiders coach Mark Maciejewski described Belt as "a big, strong lineman who’s powerful and loves making contact in the trenches."

Also, York Suburban's Matt Kauffman signed with Towson.