On Friday, Nova Nation got a bit of a surprise when ninth-ranked 2019 forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl included Villanova in his top five despite there being very little buzz between player and program. The Wildcats joined Arizona, Kansas, North Carolina, and Notre Dame as the remaining schools competing for Robinson-Earl’s commitment.
While this is obviously very good news for the ‘Cats on the surface (any time you have a chance to add a top-10 player it’s huge), perhaps the better news for ‘Nova emerges when you start to look beneath the surface and piece together clues from the Robinson-Earl news and some of the other developments on the recruiting trail over the past two weeks or so.
Let’s examine some of the things we’ve learned recently and what they could mean for Villanova recruiting going forward.
Making Final Lists For Elite Prospects
Robinson-Earl represented the third top-25 recruit in the class of 2019 to name Villanova in their final group of schools under consideration in the past two weeks.
First Nico Mannion (24th) included Villanova in his top four and promptly set a 'Nova visit, then Josh Green (10th) followed suit when cutting his list to six two days later. Finally, Robinson-Earl finished the trifecta on Friday.
In addition, the ‘Cats remain strong contenders for Bryan Antoine (12th, scheduled to visit ‘Nova on Nov. 3), Scottie Lewis (13th) and Isaiah Stewart (6th). Villanova is expected to make the cut when Lewis and Stewart trim their lists.
The fact that Villanova is expecting a visit from elite PG Cole Anthony further strengthens the case that the Wildcats have become a threat to land the best prospects in the nation.
‘Nova has flirted with plenty of elite recruits under Jay Wright, but to be in contention with this many top players this late in the game represents a clear step up for the ‘Cats on the recruiting trail.
Expanding The Recruiting Area
Jay Wright has made hay by dominating the fertile recruiting grounds close to home. Wright continually plucks talent from the Northeast Corridor from DC to New York and even up into New England. Whether it’s the local southeast Pennsylvania talent, the traditional New York/North Jersey players, or the hotbed of talent in DC/Virginia/Maryland, Wright has largely built Villanova’s incredible recent run with players that come from relatively close to home base.
While there have been instances where Wright has reached beyond his traditional recruiting grounds, his work in the 2019 class indicates a clear expansion of the recruiting net.
Yes, the two current commitments in 2019 fit the usual recruiting reach, as Eric Dixon hails from Willow Grove and plays right down the road at Abington, and Justin Moore is from Maryland.
But the ‘Cats have done plenty of work outside the Northeast. Nico Mannion is from Phoenix. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is from Kansas and plays in Florida. Josh Green is from Australia and plays in Florida. Isaiah Stewart is from upstate New York and plays in Indiana. The ‘Cats have also been involved with another player from Kansas, top-50 forward Malik Hall.
It’s one thing to expand the recruiting reach by extending offers to players, but it’s anther thing to get traction with those players and become a factor in their recruitment. The recent announcements from Mannion, Green, and Robinson-Earl, as well as the perceived status of ‘Nova with Stewart, are clear indications that the Wildcats have not only widened the net, but that they have reached the level of being a legitimate threat to land players from anywhere in the country.
Villanova Brand Carries Clout In Itself
This one is a bit more of a subjective conclusion but say with me. Traditional blue bloods like Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Kansas often find themselves in the conversation for elite prospects right from the start based on their history and standing in the college basketball world. From great players to great coaches to incredible and sustained success, it means something to put on one of those uniforms and add your name to the tradition. While Villanova may not be at quite that level yet, it is getting there.
Look no further than the Jeremiah Robinson-Earl situation. Clearly ‘Nova has made its pitch to Robinson-Earl, but for the ‘Cats to make his final five with such little buzz surrounding their involvement is an indication the Villanova name is starting to carry that kind of clout.
The best record in college basketball over a five-year span, two national titles in three years, and sending four players to the NBA in the most recent draft will have that effect. One could argue that Villanova is getting to the point where kids consider the Wildcats before the Wildcats consider them. All the attention and all the success leads to Villanova being on players’ radar and players knowing a bit about the program before Wright and staff ever make a pitch. That can be a huge bonus, especially when dealing with the best of the best.
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After the 2016 national title, many ‘Nova fans wondered where the expected recruiting boost was as it felt like recruit after recruit who had labeled Villanova their “dream school” ultimately landed elsewhere. Last year’s title intensified the clamor for gains on the recruiting trail, although it is impossible to argue with the results of Wright’s recruiting work. However, we are now seeing the boost that everyone expected.
While Wright won’t change his approach or depart from his values to get over the hump with elite recruits, it appears that all the ingredients are present for him to be able to marry those values and expectations to the desires of elite prospects.
Ultimately the program will be judged on the ability to land some of these recruits and not just being involved in the late stages of the recruitment, and more importantly on the results on the court. But for now, it’s impossible to deny that Villanova is seeing a boost and transformation on the recruiting trail as it continues to be involved with some of the best of the best, is finding success with prospects outside its normal recruiting area, and is seeing its brand influence the recruiting game.
