Chandler 4-star running back Ca’Lil Valentine announced his commitment to the University of Illinois on Saturday afternoon. Valentine chose the Fighting Illini over Utah, Oregon and Miami.
The offer from Illinois was one of the latest offers he received in his recruitment – coming after a spring football showcase. He said the coaching staff was relentless in their pursuit and ultimately that pushed the Fighting Illini over the edge.
In his junior season, Ca’Lil recorded 156 carries for 1,347 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns according to MaxPreps.
Ca’Lil joins a very small pool of athletes that played high school football in Arizona before playing at Illinois. Former Saguaro wide receiver Shawn Miller now plays for the Fighting Illini. However, Miller completed his high school football career at IMG Academy.
The most recent Illinois commit from Arizona came from Sean Adesanya, who was raised in New Jersey but played JUCO football at Eastern Arizona Community College.
Claudia Collins
