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Jay Wright's recruiting strategy as of late has been to target players in the 3-star to 4-star range - the more 'under the radar' types if you will. Wright would rather bring in a player with a good work ethic, a chip on his shoulder, and a passion for the team game rather than a high-profile recruit looking to use Villanova as a springboard to the professional ranks.
This season has been a constant display of how much that recruiting strategy has paid off, as Villanova's rotation has run 9 players deep to consistently run teams off the court. Individual stats do not matter - the end goal is a national championship.
Despite the success that this season has brought, Jay Wright is sticking with the recruiting tactics that have brought this program out from a dark period and into the national spotlight. Here's a look at where Villanova's recruits are ranked across the four major services.
| Name | Class | Position | Rivals | Scout | 247Sports | ESPN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mikal Bridges | 2014 | Forward |
 84
|
92
|
103
|
81
|
| Phil Booth | 2014 | Guard |
85
|
67
|
84
|
91
|
| Tim Delaney | 2015 | Forward |
93
|
NR
|
104
|
NR
|
| Donte Divincenzo | 2015 | Guard |
78
|
NR
|
96
|
NR
|
Bridges and Booth were both re-ranked by ESPN recently, with Bridges rising and Booth falling a bit. In the greater picture, they both held steady inside the Top 100.
The latest 2015 news includes neither Delaney nor Divincenzo being included in Scout's updated Top 100 rankings for 2015. Recruiting analyst Evan Daniels feels as though Divincenzo hasn't been fully evaluated yet, putting him on his "need to see" list this spring/summer. ESPN hasn't released their full 2015 rankings, so don't read too much into that.
The common trend? The Villanova recruits seem to be regarded as quality Division 1 prospects - but nobody as seen as a one-man show that can take over a game. And what happens when you get a roster full of players of this caliber? You do what Villanova is doing to opponents this year - when five and sometimes six players are scoring in double figures every night.
That's a tough recipe to stop.
Odds & Ends
2015 Huntington Prep (WV) PF Thomas Bryant claims offers from Syracuse, WVU, Seton Hall, St. John's, and Villanova. Interest from Kentucky.
— Brian Flinn (@BFlinnFuture150) January 22, 2014
2015 Walnut Hills guard MaCio Tegue lists offers from Seton Hall & Akron. Interest from Villanova, Georgetown, Yale, Morehead State & Baylor
— Corey Evans (@coreyevans_10) February 10, 2014
2016 GSB (NJ) SG Tyus Battle claims offers from Indiana, SMU, Villanova, Syracuse, Ohio State, and Michigan. Interest from Kentucky and Duke
— Brian Flinn (@BFlinnFuture150) February 10, 2014
Speaking of Tyus Battle, it turns out he did not attend the Villanova game he was scheduled to. They'll need to get him on campus before the end of the home schedule.
Eric Ayala, '17 G of Sanford (DE) CG, has received interest from Villanova, Rutgers, Penn State, George Washington, Wake Forest & Delaware.
— Pat Lawless (@GiveNGobball) February 13, 2014
Any other updates we missed? Help us out in the comments and we'll add them up top.
