:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/28020249/rick_young.0.jpg)
Rick Young, a 6'2" 290 pound defensive linemen from Souderton Area High School in Souderton, PA, signed a National Letter of Intent with the Villanova Wildcats football program today, the school announced. Young played both offensive and defensive line in high school, but is expected to slot in at nose guard in the Wildcats base 3-3-5 defensive scheme.
Rick Young committed to Villanova in mid-June, becoming the first verbal commitment of the 2014 class. In addition to playing on the interior line for both offense and defense, Young is a top-ranked heavyweight wrestler, something that should come in handy in the trenches.
Villanova has decent depth on the interior of the line, but with Antoine Lewis graduating and Pat Williams entering his senior season, it could quickly become an issue. Here's the depth chart entering 2014.
| Class | Name | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior | Pat Williams | 6'0" | 295 lbs. |
| Junior | Jordan Hunter | 6'2" | 305 lbs. |
| Sophomore | Mike Williams | 6'4" | 300 lbs. |
Mike Williams took a redshirt last season, and with his versatility he might eventually see him end up in the inside/outside role that Antoine Lewis played in. As with all linemen, a redshirt year to learn the scheme and time bulk up in the weight room would be ideal, but with the violent nature of the lines, the Wildcats are one to two injuries away from Young being called into immediate action.
Quotable
"All the schools I was looking at combined great academics and great athletics," Young said. "We both run a three-down front and I am used to taking on more than one guy. A lot of schools wanted for offense, but defense is what I wanted to play." via montgomerynews.com
