McClenton at top of Villanova's recruiting class

IN RECRUITING, it often comes down to fit. The way Villanova runs an offense, there can never be enough playmakers. Especially when you have the Walter Payton Award winner returning for his senior season in John Robertson, a quarterback who gets it done with his arm and legs. Still, every additional weapon you can put around him only makes him that much more valuable.

The Wildcats think they're bringing in one such piece in Jarrett McClenton, a 5-9, 170-pound running back from Archbishop Wood who rushed for 1,700 yards and 28 touchdowns for the team that repeated as PIAA state Class AAA champions. McClenton - who gained 230 and four scores in the title game - and his 4.4 speed are being projected to fill much the same multi-tasking role that was seen for Jamal Abdur-Rahman when he was recruited 4 years ago out of La Salle.

For whatever reasons that didn't work out. But no two situations evolve the same.

"He's the type of kid who's going to compete as hard as he can to make the team better," said Wood coach Steve Devlin, who also won it all in 2011 and made it to the final the following season. "He wants to play football. Once he gets on the field, you're not going to take him off."

Maybe even right away. Villanova's top two backs have graduated and senior Gary Underwood will be coming back from a knee injury.

"It depends on what they want to do with him," Devlin continued. "As long as he goes in and learns the system, everything they do, I think he has a shot to play early. But he'll do whatever they ask him to do."

McClenton is part of a 16-deep class that Villanova is expected to officially sign today. Among them are offensive lineman Louie Csaszar from Bethlehem Liberty (the same school that sent Darrun Hilliard to basketball coach Jay Wright) and nose tackle Bryan White (son of former Wildcat captain Ted White) of West Chester Henderson.

Coach Andy Talley, of course, can't comment until the letters of intent are in.

"I like what they do," said McClenton, who made his decision last summer. "I liked everything about the place. The coaches have been together for so long that they're obviously not just telling you stuff. They're telling you stuff that's going to happen. I can't wait to get started."

The Wildcats made it to the FCS quarterfinals before losing at home to Sam Houston State by three, a game that Robertson had to miss after suffering a concussion the previous week. So expectations figure to again be way up there. And that's more than OK with McClenton.

"You get used to winning, so why not shoot high?" he said. "You just have to work hard and believe in yourself. Villanova just felt best for me. It's natural for a 17-year-old kid to care more about the football part of it, but later on the education is what's going to be there longer . . .

"If other people want to put pressure on me [to produce immediately], there's nothing wrong with that. But I don't really feel any."

He used to play basketball and baseball as well, and ran track in high school. In football, he was primarily a ballcarrier, on a team that had a lot of talent. Now it's on to the next chapter.

"He's a soft-spoken kid, but always smiling," Devlin said. "On the field, though, he's got a different demeanor. He's tough. And his skill set is exactly what they do. It's what they use. It's going to be good.

"They can put him in the slot and throw to him. They can put him in motion and run him. He's got great vision, and he's great in open space. He'll run between the tackles, but he's also a threat in the return game."

Sounds like he can make a difference. Maybe it's mostly a matter of time. Even if it isn't Division I.

"That was kind of a goal of mine," McClenton acknowledged. "Some [FBS] schools were saying they were going to offer me, but they never did. At first you're a little disappointed. Then you realize that it could be for the best.

"It's good to be somewhere that wants me as much as I want them. That's kind of cool to say that."