Shotwell played the entirety of his NCAA career at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. He was announced as the Buchanan Award recipient in December 2006 in Tennessee.[2] Shotwell collected 275 total voting points in the balloting for the award, including 23 first-place votes.[3]
Following making a game-high seven tackles in the East-West Shrine Game, leading the West squad to a 21–3 win at Reliant Stadium,[4] Shotwell won the Pat Tillman Award in 2007.[5]
Shotwell signed an undrafted free-agent contract with the Oakland Raiders in 2007.[6] After being released by Oakland following the preseason, he joined the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad midway during the 2007 season.
He then signed with Indianapolis in January 2008,[7] but was released by the Colts on August 30 following the completion of the preseason.[8] However, in November 2008, he signed with Kansas City as a member of the Chiefs' practice squad, prior to becoming a coach in 2009.[9]