Carter Kessler is on his way to taking those country roads home.
SHELBY — Carter Kessler is on his way to taking those country roads home.
The Shelby senior put pen to paper to West Virginia on Friday evening, solidifying his lifelong dream of playing college football
“The community there reminds me of Shelby," Kessler said. "It feels like home.”
The Shelby star had a fantastic senior season for the Whippets, totaling 71 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. He also added 262 receiving yards and four touchdowns on the offensive side of the ball as a tight end.
Since third grade, he had two main goals; to have the opportunity to play college football and to play for a state championship. Last week’s loss to Glenville ended Shelby’s season in Canton, at 14-1 and Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference champions. The second goal also came into fruition in Friday as Kessler signed his NLI to West Virginia University.
“Finally getting to a state championship game, and signing to a college, it means a lot to me,” Kessler said. “After all that hard work and grinding when the lights aren’t on, it’s just a relieving feeling.”
Kessler committed to the Mountaineers in the Fall over offers from Memphis, Miami (OH), and an opportunity to play at Ohio State.
“Chuck Lillie (West Virginia’s General Manager) contacted me early in the season, and I sent him my film and he loved it, so he sent it over to the defensive line coach. From there he came and met me at a game at Ohio University in Athens, and then they offered me, and I just knew it was home,” Kessler said.
Head coach Rich Rodriguez saw his 2026 signing day class sign a record 49 players, Kessler being one of them.
“We all have a group chat. It’s already a family, even though I haven’t met all of them yet. I can tell it’s going to be a brotherhood,” Kessler said.
As he looked around at everyone who made the trip to Shelby High School for his signing day, the emotions began to set in. “It’s a great community. I have a lot of support, and it helped push me and the whole team further.”
Kessler will play defensive end at West Virginia and will be enrolling to the school within the next month, to kickstart his college career.
“I just want to thank the Lord, he made everything that I have possible, and all my supporters and all of my family who show me so much support.”
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Shelby's Kessler signs with West Virginia University football
Category: General Sports
