Villanova goes ‘heavy in the trenches’ as it signs 11 on national signing day

While national signing day can be a chaotic day for many college football programs, Wednesday went smoothly for Villanova.

“We sent out 11 [national letters of intent],” coach Mark Ferrante said, “and all 11 were signed and delivered electronically before 9:30 a.m.”

The Wildcats had a disappointing 2022 season, entering the season with high expectations but stumbling to a 6-5 record. However, Villanova is excited about the 11 players it signed to its 2023 recruiting class.

While there’s no clear headliner, Villanova was able to convince a local talent to stay home. Nolan Clayton, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound tight end out of Upper Merion High School, chose the Wildcats over Army, Yale, Dartmouth, Penn, and Columbia.

» READ MORE: Wildcats guard Maddy Siegrist led the way with her third straight 30-plus point performance as the Wildcats improved to 10-3.

“He seems like he’ll do whatever the coaches ask him to do, because he was a quarterback, then he was a tight end. He played some defensive line,” Ferrante said. “And we really didn’t have to do a lot to convince him to stay local … Once we extended the offer, it really didn’t take a long time for him to tell us he was coming.”

The Wildcats traditionally focus their recruiting from New England down to northern Virginia, and this recruiting class was no different. The 11 players come from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

“We really got guys in our main targeted area,” Ferrante said.

Villanova’s biggest focus was on the defensive line. The Wildcats signed Capri Martin from Bridgeport, Conn., Nigel McSween from Newark, N.J., and Ivan Murray from Paulsboro.

The Wildcats also bulked up their protection, signing Kyle Fay, a 6-foot-6, 285-pound offensive lineman from Cranford, N.J., and Chris McCullers, a 6-4, 285-pound interior lineman from Purcellville, Va.

“This year, unlike last year, we were pretty heavy in the trenches,” Ferrante said. Ferrante added that the Wildcats may look to add more linemen between now and February.

Villanova had few scholarships to offer on skill positions, with the bulk of its 2022 contributors returning in 2023.

However, the Wildcats did bring in two running backs: Isaiah Ragland out of Clifton, Va., and Ja’Briel Mace from Somers Point, N.J. Ragland holds Centreville High School’s all-time records for rushing yards (5,197) and touchdowns (68). Mace, who also received offers from Rutgers and Temple, was named the 2022 South Jersey Player of the Year.

Kenyon Miles joins a wideout room returning Jaaron Hayek, the Colonial Athletic Association’s top receiver, and All-CAA second-team member Rayjoun Pringle. Miles, a 6-2, 175-pound recruit from Huntington Station, N.Y., was part of a St. Anthony’s team that won a New York state title.

Corner Zahmir Dawud and linebacker Jason Hall complete the early signees for the Wildcats. Hall’s athleticism has Villanova excited, while Dawud is versatile enough to play several defensive positions.

Ferrante noted that the Wildcats aren’t done yet. His team will likely add several more high school seniors as well as a couple of graduate students from the transfer portal.

» READ MORE: Penn State signs 21 on national signing day

However, he’s looking forward to seeing what the early signees can do.

“We’re excited about all of them, to be honest,” Ferrante said. “But when they come here, they’re going to have to go out there and earn it on the field.”

TE Nolan Clayton, 6-5/230, King of Prussia

CB Zahmir Dawud, 6-0/175, North Brunswick, N.J.

OT Kyle Fay, 6-6/285, Cranford, N.J.

LB Jason Hall, 6-2/215, Fall River, Mass.

OL Chris McCullers, 6-4/285, Purcellville, Va.

RB Ja’Briel Mace, 5-10/175, Somers Point, N.J.

DE Capri Martin, 6-2/260, Bridgeport, Conn.

DE Nigel McSween, 6-4/240, Newark, N.J.

WR Kenyon Miles, 6-2/175, Huntington Station, N.Y.

DE Ivan Murray, 6-2/265, Paulsboro

RB Isaiah Ragland, 5-9/195, Clifton, Va.