Feb. 6, 2008

VILLANOVA, Pa. - Villanova University head football coach Andy Talley today announced the signing of 15 recruits to National Letters of Intent. The 15 newcomers will enroll at Villanova in the fall and be members of the 2008 Wildcat team.

"This incoming class is a talented group. We have a nice mix of both local and national recruits," said Talley. "The skill level of this class is excellent and we were able to add some size on the offensive and defensive lines. We have the opportunity to allow some of these players to develop over time since we played so many young players this past season."

Pennsylvania natives accounted for five of the 15 signings, with New Jersey and California second with three each. The Wildcats received commitments from two players from both Maryland and Ohio. Of the 15 recruits, seven were offensive players, seven were defensive performers and one was a special team player.

2008 VILLANOVA RECRUITING CLASS

Name           Pos. Ht  Wt  Hometown/High SchoolDonald Davis       DL   6-4 250 Glassboro, N.J./GlassboroLawrence Doss      RB   5-8 175 Bellflower, Calif./St. John BoscoChidozie Ekweozor  OL   6-5 280 Spring Valley, Calif./Mount MiguelDelano Ferguson    LB   6-1 225 Silver Spring, Md./John F. KennedyJohn Jackson       TE   6-4 245 Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks SouthLarry Jackson      WR   6-6     220     Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Cardinal GibbonsChris Johnson      QB   6-1 200 Philadelphia, Pa./ Roman CatholicMarlon Johnson     DE   6-4 250 Baltimore, Md./ St. Mary'sJoe Makoid     DL   6-0 245 Warminster, Pa./ Archbishop WoodVince Peterson     DB   6-1 185 Warren, Ohio/ HowlandJimmy Pitts        DB   6-1 180 Montclair, N.J./ MontclairJoshua Potts       DB   5-10    190     Harrisburg, Pa./HarrisburgTravis Poston      OL   6-6 310 Horsham, Pa./ Hatboro-HorshamJeremy Rodriguez   LB   6-2 200 Laureldale, Pa./ MuhlenburgDorian Wells       WR   5-9 180 West Covina, Calif./ South HillsNorman White       WR   6-4 200 Hammonton, N.J./ St. Joseph'sNick Yako      PK   5-11    195 Cleveland, Ohio/ St. Ignatius

RECRUIT CAPSULES:

DONALD DAVIS (DL, 6-4, 250, Glassboro, N.J./ Glassboro H.S.)
** Three-year letterwinner in football
** Second Team All Tri-County Defense
** Member Of 2007 State Championship Team

LAWRENCE DOSS (RB, 5-8, 175, Bellflower, Calif./ St. John Bosco H.S.)
** 2007 St. John Bosco Student-Athlete of the Year
** 2007 & 2006 Team Captain
** Had Nine Kickoffs For School Record 458 Yards (50.89 avg.) in 2006
** 2006 First Team Trinity League
** 2006 League Offensive Player Of The Year
** 2005 Second Team Trinity League
** 2005 League Rookie Of The Year
** Missed Large Part Of Senior Year Due To Injury

CHIDOZIE EKWEOZOR (OL, 6-5, 280, Spring Valley, Calif./ Mount Miguel H.S.)
** 2007 All East County San Diego Second Team
** 2007 Mount Miguel "Man Of Distinction Award"
** 2007 All Grossmont South League First Team
** 2006 All Grossmont South League Second Team

DELANO FERGUSON (LB, 6-1, 225, Silver Spring, Md./ John F. Kennedy H.S.)
** 2007 All-Sentinel
** 2007 All-Met
** 2007 All-State Honorable Mention
** 2007 All-Gazette
** 2006 All-Gazette Second Team

JOHN JACKSON (TE, 6-4, 245, Warrington, Pa./ Central Bucks South)
** Big 33 All-Star Game Nominee
** First Team Philadelphia Inquirer
** First Team All-Conference Tight End
** First Team All-Intelligencer

LARRY JACKSON (WR, 6-6, 220, Fort Lauderdale, Fla./ Cardinal Gibbons)
** Senior Year: 24 receptions, 355 yards, four touchdowns
** Four receptions for 109 yards against 5A state champ St. Thomas Aquinas
** Selected to play in the Nike Broward vs. Dade All-Star Game

CHRIS JOHNSON (QB, 6-1, 200, Philadelphia, Pa./ Roman Catholic)
** Team Captain
** First Team All-Philadelphia Catholic League
** First Team All-City
** Second Team All-State Defensive Back

MARLON JOHNSON (DE, 6-4, 250, Baltimore, Md./ St. Mary's)
** Four-Year Varsity Starter
** 2007 Baltimore Touchdown Club Super 22
** Captain of 2007 Championship Team
** 2007 All-MIAA
** 2007 All-Met
** 2007 All-County
** 2007 First Team Small School All-State
** 2007 Baltimore Touchdown Club Senior All-Star Game Player
** 2007 Stats: 97 Tackles, 13 Sacks, 36 Tackles For Loss
** 2006 All-MIAA
** 2006 Second Team All-County
** 2006 Second Team All-Met

JOE MAKOID (DL, 6-0, 245, Warminster, Pa./ Archbishop Wood)
** First Team All-Catholic
** First Team All-City
** First Team All-Area
** First Team All-Intelligencer
** Bucks County Golden Team
** Team Captain

VINCE PETERSON (DB, 6-1, 185, Warren, Ohio/ Howland)
** All-County
** All-District
** All-Conference
** Three-Year Starter
** 2007 Stats: 72 Tackles, 12 Pass Break-ups, 3 Interceptions, TD

JIMMY PITTS (DB,6-1, 180, Montclair, N.J./ Montclair)
** First Team Al-County
** First Team All-League
** Team MVP

JOSHUA POTTS (DB, 5-10, 190, Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg)
** Led team in tackles two times and interceptions three times
** Holds PIAA record with 99 yard kick return
** All-Conference defensive back
** Team won Mid-Penn Commonwealth Division championship

TRAVIS POSTON (OL, 6-6, 310, Horsham, Pa./ Hatboro-Horsham)
** First Team All-Conference
** First Team All-Intelligencer
** First Team All-Philadelphia Inquirer
** First Team Pennsylvania Football News All-State
** Second Team Associated Press All-State
** Selected For The PSFCA East/West All Star Game

JEREMY RODRIQUEZ (LB, 6-2, 200, Laureldale, Pa./ Muhlenburg)
** First Team All-Berks County
** Second Team All-State Running Back

DORIAN WELLS (WR, 5-9, 180, West Covina, Calif./ South Hills)
** 2007 San Gabriel Valley Tribune Player Of The Year
** First Team All-CIF Southern Section Southwest Division
** 2007 San Antonio League MVP
** 2007 First Team Los Angeles Times All-San Gabriel Valley
** Fox Sports Prime Ticket Player Of The Game Versus West Covina Where He Had 25 Carries For 251 Yards and Four Touchdowns
** Team MVP
** 2007 Stats: 190 Carries For 1,479 Yards (7.78 avg.) and 19 TDs; 16 Receptions For 104 Yards (6.5 avg.) and 1 TD; 47 Tackles (33 Solo), 2 Interceptions, 1 Fumble Recovery

NORMAN WHITE (WR, 6-4, 200, Hammonton, N.J./ St. Joseph's)
** First Team All-Cape Atlantic League
** First Team All-Parochial
** First Team Courier Post All-South Jersey
** First Team Philadelphia Inquirer All-South Jersey

NICK YAKO (PK, 5-11, 195, Cleveland, Ohio/ St. Ignatius)
** Captain
** Holds School Record For Longest Field Goal (50 Yards)
** 2007 Northeast Ohio Second Team
** 2007 All-Ohio Second Team
** 2006 Honorable Mention All-State
** 2006 Northeast Ohio First Team