Shelby's Brayden DeVito makes college choice
Shelby All-Ohio quarterback Brayden DeVito announced on Sunday that the Air Force Academy is his college choice to continue his academic and athletic career.
DeVito made the announcement via a tweet on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
He wrote that the choice was made "with much praying and consideration" and thanked "everyone" who helped "get me to this point!"
The tweet is accompanied by a special video.
The post also shows an image of him in an Air Force football uniform and with an American flag as he announced his commitment.
In the video announcing Air Force as his choice, DeVito offered many thanks in his own words, including God, as well as his parents, other close family, Shelby teammates, coaches, and the Shelby community.
"Shelby has made me into who I am today and because of that, I will always be red and gray," DeVito said of the Shelby Whippets school colors.
Air Force, in the Colorado Springs area, is a member of the Mountain West Conference. Mountain West football league members in 2026 are to include Air Force, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Northern Illinois, San Jose State, UNLV, UTEP and Wyoming. Air Force football is coached by Troy Calhoun, who is entering his 18th season.
DeVito, who accounted for 61 total touchdowns his junior year at Shelby and also played on defense, had at least a dozen Division I football offers, also including Army, Columbia, Yale, Dartmouth, Furman, and Princeton.
Shelby football coach Robert Mahaney was among those expressing congratulations Sunday. One of God's "greatest gifts was to be given the opportunity to coach you and watch you grow," Coach Mahaney said in a tweet.
DeVito will soon start his senior season at Shelby High School where he's in the Class of 2026 with a full school year ahead of him for the Whippets. They open the 2025 football season on Aug. 22 at Madison.
This past fall in football as quarterback of the Shelby Whippets, DeVito was among the All-Ohio honorees named to the first-team offense in Division IV.
In March, DeVito was named first-team All-Ohio in boys' basketball Division IV. In 2024, he was a starter on the Whippets’ Final Four team in the state basketball tournament.
In June 2025, he earned All-Ohio honors in track.