Villanova's recruiting class includes local talent

Jamal Abdur-Rahman knows what people will wonder Wednesday morning when he signs a scholarship to Villanova.

It's the same things folks have been thinking since the La Salle senior orally committed to the Football Championship Subdivision school on Aug. 18: Why would he choose the Wildcats over a scholarship from Maryland, a Football Bowl Subdivision school?

"That was a frequently asked question," said Abdur-Rahman, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound running back. "But my response was: Villanova is at the top of their league. Maryland isn't. I'm a winner. That's what I want to be a part of is winning.

"I just felt that Maryland didn't bring that to the table."

Maryland wasn't the lone FBS school that tried to lure The Inquirer's Southeastern Pennsylvania player of the year, though. Temple and Purdue were starting to actively recruit the versatile speedster right before he chose Villanova.

"It was just the coaching and the atmosphere when I visited and everything I felt when they were all around me," he said of Villanova's coaches. "All the other coaches [at other universities], it just seemed like it was just a business, and they were just trying to get numbers in the school. It wasn't real personal.

"At 'Nova, it was real personal."

As a result, Abdur-Rahman will join Shawnee linebacker Dillon Lucas and Holy Spirit safety Joe Sarnese as the local headliners of what the Wildcats expect to be 21-member recruiting class.

The 6-1, 215-pound Lucas is the all-time leader in tackles at Shawnee with more than 300 career stops. A shoulder injury limited him to six games on defense in 2010. The two-time Inquirer all-South Jersey selection expects to be 100 percent for the 2011 season.

Sarnese was named The Inquirer's South Jersey defensive player of the year after leading the team with 93 tackles this past season. The 6-0, 195-pounder also intercepted a pass, had four pass breakups and added a sack.

One of the area's most versatile players, Sarnese, who also played wideout, caught 21 passes for 316 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 38.4 yards on five kickoff returns and 20.4 yards on 13 punt returns.

Abdur-Rahman was just as impressive last season.

He carried the ball 224 times for 1,755 yards - a single-season school record - and 24 touchdowns. Abdur-Rahman was also productive catching passes out of the backfield, netting 300 yards and three touchdowns on 24 receptions.

Defensively, the lockdown corner finished with four interceptions.

But at Villanova, he'll play running back, where he could fill an immediate need. The Wildcats have lost last season's top four ground gainers: running back Aaron Ball (794); quarterback Chris Whitney (606); running back Angelo Babbaro (528), and wildcat quarterback/wideout Matt Szczur (368).

The foursome combined for 2,296 of last season's 2,728 rushing yards.

"They want me to compete," Abdur-Rahman said of the Wildcats coaches. "They want me to come out there and play as fast as possible. They are telling me, it's all on me. I have to prepare well and be ready to play, because they want me to."

And there's still a possibility that he'll get an opportunity to compete on the FBS level. Villanova will decide this spring whether it wants to accept an offer to join the Big East.

If the Wildcats were to elect to move up, they would like play one more season at the FCS level, followed by a mandatory two-year provisional period. Villanova would gain full-time FBS status in 2014, Abdur-Rahman's senior season, assuming he doesn't redshirt.

He said the possible opportunity to play in the Big East didn't factor into his decision. Abdur-Rahman, however, does admit it would allow him to get back at nonbelievers.

"I had [Big East] schools like Rutgers and Pitt, who kind of fronted on me," he said. "They said I was too small or just couldn't play with them.

"So [if Villanova joins the Big East], I'm going to get a chance to play those team and beat them."

Name   Pos.   Ht.   Wt.   High School

Jamal Abdul-Rahman RB   5-10   180    La Salle

Noble Ajakaiye   DL   6-2   235   Hickory Ridge (N.C.)

Jordan Canzeri   WR   5-9   175   Troy (N.Y.)

Morgan Craig    TE   6-4   255   Abington Heights

Joey Harmon   LB   6-1   225   Salisbury Sch (Fla.)

Clay Horne   WR   6-6   220   Lawrence Ac. (Minn.)

Jordan Hunter   DL   6-2   300   Burlington Township

Vince Kowalski   OL   6-3   250   Williamstown

Dillon Lucas   LB   6-1   215   Shawnee

Corey Majors   LB   6-0   230   Neshaminy

Matt McCann   DB   5-10   195   Keystone Oaks

Jerry Miles   DB   5-11   200   Scioto (Ohio)

Kevin Monangai   RB   5-10   195   Seton Hall Prep (N.J.)

Reggie Paris   LB   6-3   225   Pemberton

Earnest Pettway   TE   6-4   245   Long Bch. Poly (Calif.)

Chris Polony   QB   6-3   210   Whitehall

Justin Rhinesmith   OL   6-4   270   Middle Township

John Robertson   QB   6-1   205   Paramus (N.J.)

Joe Sarnese   DB   6-0   195   Holy Spirit

Patrick Williams   DL   6-1   275   University Sch. (Fla.)EndText