CHAMPAIGN — Ricky Smalling visited and took in an Illinois football practice less than two weeks ago.
He did so again on Tuesday night, along with Kendall Smith, and the two in-state wide receiver prospects became the first Class of 2017 high school recruits to verbally commit to Lovie Smith since Illinois hired Smith in early March.
Smalling, from Brother Rice, took to Twitter to announce his college decision.
“I’m extremely honored to say that I have committed to the University of Illinois. #Illini #WeWillWin,” Smalling wrote in his tweet.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Smalling boasted offers from Indiana, Iowa State, Minnesota, Missouri, Purdue, Syracuse, Virginia and Wisconsin, among others.