According to Scout.com's Brian Dohn, Shayne Jones of Imaculata High School in New Jersey has committed to play football at Villanova. The two-star defensive back from Somerville also had offers from Albany, Bryant and FBS schools, Central Michigan and Buffalo. ESPN projects him as a safety in college, but might be able to play cornerback at Villanova. He can also return kicks and punts.
The versatile player measures in at 6-0 and 179 pounds. He has good anticipation and ball-tracking skills, and is known to anticipate routes well. He has good lateral quickness and is able to cover the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds.
Rivals, Scout and ESPN's recruiting databases all rank Jones at 2-stars.
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Jones is the 15th known recruit for the 2012 Villanova football class, who will make things official and sign a national letter of intent on Wednesday. The other known members of the class are:
- Jake Prus (OL, Woodstown HS)
- Nico D’Angelo (OL, Holy Spirit – 2 stars)
- Austin Calitro (ILB, Danbury – 3 stars)
- Javon White (RB, Souderton HS)
- Aaron Wells (RB, River Hill HS - 2 stars)
- Tanoh Kpassagnon (DE, Wissahickon HS)
- Michael Burke IV (WR, Columbia HS– 3 stars)
- Corey Majors (LB, Worcester – 3 stars)
- Jonathan Green (OL, North Schuylkill - 2 stars)
- Bradley Seaton (OT, Brunswick, CT)
- Cameron McCurry (LB, Fleming Island, FL - 2 stars)
- T.J. White (LB, West Chester Henderson, PA – 2 stars)
- Gary Underwood (RB, Winton Woods, OH)
- C.J. Logan (QB, Northfield Mount Hermon, MA)
Elsewhere on signing day...
Villanova is also interested in adding quarterback Chris Papadopoulos from Thomas S. Wooton High School in Maryland as a preferred walk-on.
Meanwhile, Stacey Bedell, who had previously committed to Villanova before de-committing in favor of James Madison in September, has now walked away from his commitment to JMU as well. Former Villanova defensive-line coach, Dave Sollazzo, who had initially recruited Bedell for the Wildcats, stepped back into the picture to offer the speedy running back a scholarship to his new employer — UMass. Bedell also claims that he had an offer from Boston College.
Another former Villanova commit, Mark Clements, visited the University of Maine over the weekend and was offered a scholarship by their coaching staff. The ball-hawking cornerback from South Jersey seems set to attend a CAA school in the fall, but hasn't made his decision official yet. He will not be attending Villanova, however.