Shelby football player Xadrian Ream makes college choice
By David Jacobs
Xadrian Ream, a standout senior offensive lineman at Shelby High School, confirms he will continue his football career this coming fall at Heidelberg University in Tiffin after graduating in May.
Ream, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound right tackle, made his decision earlier this week.
“I called the coach and told him that I was officially committing,” Ream said in an interview Friday evening.
A key member of Shelby’s 12-1 football team last season, Ream helped anchor the offensive line for a team that remained undefeated until deep in the state 2024 playoffs. He was named all-Ohio this past season and all-Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference in both 2023 and 2024 among other honors.
Ream said Heidelberg felt like the right fit after he visited the school.
“It just felt like a good home place,” he said.
Ream has been playing football in the Shelby community since fourth grade and spent the past three seasons as a varsity starter for Shelby High School.
Reflecting on his time with the program, he described the experience as transformative, particularly after his team’s struggles earlier in his high school career.
“My first year on varsity was awful," he recalled. "We had a losing record (5-6 including playoff loss), so that really changed everything,” he said, reflecting on the 2022 season. “Going 12-1 (in 2024), getting to win every game, getting excited, going into every game ready, is definitely different. It was fun.”
When asked about his strengths on the field, Ream pointed to his style of play and ability to read the game.
“I think I’m just good at overpowering," he said. "I can take control. I can read a block really well. I can read the defender. I’m just there."
Ream wore No. 73 for the Shelby Whippets. He spoke with his Shelby High School Coach and 2024 MOAC coach of the year-- Rob Mahaney -- after making the decision to commit to Heidelberg.
“We actually just talked today," Ream said. "He was just telling me congrats. I just said, ‘Appreciate it.'"
Though Ream has not held a formal signing ceremony yet, he plans to do so in the near future.
He is planning to study marketing and business at Heidelberg, where he will join a former Shelby football teammate. Tanner Hartz, a multisport athlete for Shelby and 2024 Shelby High graduate, is now a defensive back on the Heidelberg football team.
Ream is looking forward to becoming part of the Heidelberg program, a member of the Ohio Athletic Conference. “I hope it’s a good four years,” he said.
Ream, a lifelong Shelby resident, is the son of Erica and Sean Ream.
Via a social post on Thursday, Mrs. Ream spoke with pride about her son being able to play football for four more years at the college level.
"We are so proud of him and all he has accomplished and the hard work he has put in to get this opportunity," she wrote. "We can't wait to watch him do what he loves and what God has blessed him to do. We love you!"
More: SHELBY SIGNINGS
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Shelby's Nic Eyster commits to Heidelberg for college baseball