:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67031926/D52OILfW4AAIkEb.0.jpeg)
Illinois added to its 2021 class in a state we usually don’t hear too much about the Illini in — Virginia.
Athlete Kalen Villanueva announced his commitment to Illinois via Twitter on Wednesday afternoon.
I’m all in!!! Thanks to @milessmith44 @LovieSmith @JusticeWolvesFB pic.twitter.com/DK8RsoCRyY
— Kalen Villanueva (@KalenVillanueva) July 8, 2020
A native of Falls Church, Virginia, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Villanueva plays his high school football at Stuart.
While Villanueva is unranked on 247, he had a boatload of offers from programs across the country, many of them FCS Division I.
247 said linebackers coach Miles Smith led the charge to add Villanueva to the Illini’s 2021 class, which now has 12 commits, including seven from Florida.
247’s Jeremy Werner also reports that Villanueva has committed to Illinois as a linebacker, after putting on a ton of weight recently.
Kalen Villanueva (@KalenVillanueva) transformed his body -- and that transformed his life.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) July 8, 2020
After adding 60 pounds in two years, he committed to #Illini as a linebacker in Lovie Smith's defense.
"I just love the program," he said.https://t.co/UvP5yHgumq
Watch some of the rising senior’s highlights here.