Villanova Football Lands 3-Star DB, Rounds Out Class of 16 Recruits Before Signing Day

Villanova head football coach Andy Talley isn't slowing down with recruiting, even though he will retire at the end of the season. With current assistant coach Mark Ferrante assuming head coaching duties after next season, Talley is doing everything he can to help set the table for a smooth coaching transition.

The head coach with 249 career coaching victories is doing a nice job helping Ferrante do just that. Just Monday night, the Wildcats secured a commitment from slick DB Terrell Vassel, who Syracuse, Rutgers and Temple had offered. He's by far the Wildcats' biggest gem of the 2016 recruiting class, but they have a bunch of outstanding players in the class and it is a good-sized group.

"I did it because since I met (assistant) coach (Brian) Flinn he never sugar coated anything with me, he kept it real," Vassel told HERO Sports on Tuesday, just hours after his announcement. "When I met the other coaches they were just like him. They told me the truth about everything and when I researched it, it was all true. Once I got there on the visit I loved the school and love how everyone is a family there. I also feel like having them coach me for the next four to five years, they can improve me mentally as a football player and as a successful man 10 to 20 years from now."

The class is at 16 members as of Tuesday, and it's a well-balanced group. Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey are well represented, but so is Tennessee, Indiana and Virginia are also represented.

Tight end Jeff Wiley is one of those New Jersey products, and he can't wait to join Vassel and see what happens in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Wildcats were snakebit by injuries last year but still managed a huge win over FCS semifinalist Richmond and another big one over Fordham early in the year, while nearly knocking off FBS UConn (lost 20-15). The program seems ripe for a bounceback and several of these freshmen could play a role.

"I knew from the beginning that I wanted to go to Villanova," Wiley told HERO Sports on Tuesday. "The coaches have set a great foundation and I'm excited what our class has to offer for the future. Our class is already very close and we're hungry to continue the winning tradition at Villanova. It was vital for me to stay home, and I knew the second I stepped onto Villanova's campus and met their coaches that they'd soon become extended family."

Here's a look at the 2016 Villanova recruiting class, at least as much as we could verify. Schools can't publicize their classes until after national signing day.