ASU Football: Devils land 3-star ILB Christian LaValle

Arizona State head coach Todd Graham has added yet another defensive asset to his 2018 recruiting class in three-star Mission Viejo inside linebacker Christian LaValle. The news was announced Tuesday morning on Twitter.

LaValle is ranked as the seventh-best inside linebacker in the West and the fifth-best linebacker in his state according to Scout.com. He’s the third ASU commitment for 2018 from California.

LaValle is young, but already possesses the ideal frame for a versatile linebacker in ASU defensive coordinator Phil Bennett’s scheme. At 6-foot-1, 228 pounds, he profiles somewhere in-between current Sun Devil linebackers senior D.J. Calhoun and redshirt junior Christian Sam.

This elite size for a high school player allowed LaValle to excel in his time at Mission Viejo High School, tallying 115 and 108 total tackles during his sophomore and junior seasons, respectively. His sophomore campaign was highlighted by 20 tackles for loss, while he managed just five as a junior.

LaValle also proved athletic enough to contribute on offense as a tight end during high school, but will likely solely play on the defensive side in his collegiate career.

He joins four-star Calabassas High School recruit Reggie Hughes as the second linebacker commitment for Todd Graham and company this week.

Below are highlights from LaVelle’s junior season.