As reported first on Joliet Catholic Football.com, Joliet Catholic DB Bobby Buchanan has indeed given head coach Ron Turner and the Fighting Illini a verbal commitment today.

According to Bobby Buchanan "I called head coach Ron Turner and gave Illinois my verbal commitment. I'm a solid commit to Illinois."

Buchanan, who had scholarship offers from the Illini as well from Louisville, UCLA, Iowa, Ball St., Northern Illinois and Indiana talked about what factors made him decide to pledge to the Illini. "Overall I really liked the coaches, both Coach (Mike) Mallory and Coach (Tommy) Thigpen I feel will be able to get me to play at the highest level possible. At the Illinois camp I learned so much from them technique-wise it was great. I also just felt very at home with Illinois. Academically Illinois has a great support system for athletes and my major (Graphic Design) is overall just solid at Illinois as well. Illinois is just a great overall fit for me and I'm very excited to be an Illini."

So was any other school ever in the race for Buchanan? "I would say I was considering Louisville pretty hard because I had such a good time at their camp and I felt comfortable there. In the end all of the factors just pointed to Illinois."