MACOMB, Ill. – Dreams do indeed come true. Just ask former Western Illinois University defensive lineman LaCale London, who signed an undrafted free agency deal with the Chicago Bears Saturday (April 25). 

The news arrived shortly after the conclusion of the 2020 NFL Draft and will see the Peoria, Ill., native remain home. 

"Whenever I feel like things are getting hard, I just think about how far I have come. All the bumpy roads I had to drive across and roadblocks I had to drive through to get where I am today," London said in an earlier interview.

"I'm so ready for the next step in my career, I dreamed about playing in the NFL my whole life." 

The 2020 MVFC honorable mention started all 12 games on the season, where he tied for second in the Missouri Valley Football Conference with three forced fumbles. London also recorded four sacks in conference play and finished second on the team with 9.5 tackles for loss.

His inaugural Leatherneck season ended in MVFC All-Newcomer honors, and in two years, he totaled 71 tackles (17.0 for a loss) with 7.5 sacks. 

"I couldn't be more proud of LaCale and how far he has come," added WIU head coach Jared Elliott.