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Justin Covington has officially signed his National Letter of Intent with Villanova, the school announced this morning. A 5'10" 200 lb. running back from Cardinal Hayes (N.Y.), Covington verbally committed to Villanova in late October, at the time becoming the tenth verbal in Villanova's 2016 class.
Covington was a 1st Team All-State selection on offense in 2015 after posting 286 carries for 2,304 yards (8.1 ypc) and 33 touchdowns.He added 18 receptions for 235 yards and 5 touchdowns as well. He also earned 1st Team All-League and All-City honors, as well as be named All-Metro Honorable Mention. He was The Bronx Player of the Year and a Golden Eleven nominee.
Here's the running back depth chart heading in to 2016:
Depth Chart (* denotes walk-on)
| Class | Name | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| (RS) Junior | Javon White | 5'11" | 205 lbs. |
| Junior | Matt Gudzak | 5'9" | 205 lbs. |
| Sophomore | Aaron Forbes | 5'9" | 220 lbs. |
| (RS) Freshman | D'Andre Pollard | 5'7" | 175 lbs. |
| Freshman | Justin Covington | 5'10" | 200 lbs. |
Villanova loses starting running back Gary Underwood to graduation. Following an injury-shortended campaign, I would expect Javon White to lock down the starting role next season after impressing on the field last year. Gudzak looked great as well before an injury knocked him out, and it's still too early to make a call on Forbes and Pollard, the latter of which redshirted.
It's a crowded backfield, which isn't a bad thing. 2015 saw the running back depth chart ravaged by injuries. Covington looks to have a college-ready body, but if he doesn't play this coming season that's probably a sign that everyone in front of him stayed healthy. He'll be a solid contributor in his career.
Welcome Justin to 'Nova Nation!