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Hopewell Valley Central (N.J.) defensive linemen Jeff Wiley has signed with Villanova, the school announced this morning. Wiley was the first verbal commitment for Villanova all the way back in June. He's also the younger brother of current linebacker Drew Wiley.
Wiley played both defensive end, tight end and some quarterback in high school (he set the school record for completions in a game this season), but right now he's slated for the defensive side of the ball. He was named 1st Team All-State, All-Conference and was named to the NJFCA Super 100 team in 2015. And if Jay Wright is looking for a walk-on, he's averaging 12.6 ppg and 11.8 rpg per game on the hardwood this year.
At 6'4" and 245 pounds he's got pretty good size already. He's joining a pretty crowded depth chart.
Depth Chart (* denotes walk-on)
| Class | Name | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior | Tanoh Kpassagnon | 6'7" | 275 lbs. |
| Junior | Michael Williams | 6'4" | 275 lbs. |
| Senior | Brian Osei | 6'2" | 250 lbs. |
| (RS) Sophomore | Thomas Plonski | 6'5" | 245 lbs. |
| (RS) Freshman | Datrell Reed | 6'3" | 250 lbs. |
| (RS) Freshman | Jafonta Johnson | 6'3" | 240 lbs. |
Kpassagnon is back for one final ride before he gets his shot at the NFL, but behind him it gets a little more thin in terms of experience. With Reggie Paris gone, either Mike Williams or Brian Osei will likely slide in to the starting lineup, with the three underclassmen ready to make a push to get in the rotation. Wiley won't have history on his side, but he'll have his shot to get PT if he can impress during fall camp.
Welcome Jeff to 'Nova Nation!