One day after Calabasas LB Reggie Hughes committed to ASU's 2018 class, 3-star LB Christian LaValle and 3-star St. John Bosco RB Demetrious Flowers both posted news of their verbal commitments to ASU to social media.
Christian LaValle originally visited Arizona State in late March for their Junior Day, and spoke with us on the Devil's Junkie Podcast about how his relationship with ASU assistant Brandon Blackmon helped get him onto the Sun Devils' radar. Since then, LaValle collected multiple offers- first from the military academies, and in late May, from ASU. He spoke with us about his decision to commit to Arizona State.
"Coach Patterson and Coach Bennett came out separately to watch me practice and watch me lift... after (Patterson) left we got on a phone call afterward and they ended up offering me a scholarship. I was elated... Coach Patterson and the coaching staff is one of the main reasons I fell in love with ASU. I love their philosophy, and I love everything they're about. ASU's just on the rise, academically, just everything about it... I just fell in love from day one, and it ended up being the spot for me."
LaValle had over 100 total tackles for Mission Viejo last season, and says he's been recruited to play an inside linebacker role similar to what DJ Calhoun plays now. To listen to our full interview with LaValle, click here.
RB Demetrious Flowers was offered by Arizona State in late March, and then visited the campus in mid-April. He called his commitment to Arizona State, and decision to shut down his recruiting a "relief." Flowers said the thing that ultimately set Arizona State apart was the academics. "On my first visit the first thing they took me to was the counselor (Jean Boyd), and we just talked for an hour or two on Academics and my plans for the future... I bought in."
Flowers says his goal for the upcoming season include repeating as California state championship, and earning the title of National Champions before graduating and heading to Tempe. In 2016, Flowers rushed for 954 yards and scored 20 touchdowns. He also compared his game to that of Marshawn Lynch in that he has the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and run downhill. To listen to our full interview with Flowers, click here.
Arizona State went without a high school commit form California in their 2017 class, and an increased focus on recruiting in the area has now resulted in four commitments to date. Both LaValle and Flowers expressed hope that the Sun Devils might be able to add Calabasas athlete and current teammate of Reggie Hughes, Nikko Hall to the mix before it's all said and done.
