Depending on how in tune with the recruiting game you are, you might find yourself saying "who?". And you wouldn't be alone. Robinson-Earl's recruitment has been quiet in general, and even more quiet in regards to Villanova's involvement. And yet, here are the Wildcats in his top five.
Lets take a moment to get familiar if Robinson-Earl has (understandably) been off your radar. He is a 6-9 forward out of Kansas who plays at IMG Academy in Florida. A five-star prospect, he is currently ranked number nine in the class of 2019.
Rivals' Eric Bossi talked with Robinson-Earl about his list and here's what he said about Villanova: "One of the reasons is the past three years they've won two national championships so they are obviously doing something good up there. I think they like to do a lot of five out or small ball so they will use their bigger guys as a threat on the court. I watched when they played in the Final Four they were able to use their five man and make matchups and spread the floor."
You can read Bossi's full article here, but reading Robinson-Earl's comments about each school, it feels as though two things he is prioritizing are how he is going to be used and preparing for the next level.
Robinson-Earl hopes to have his visits done by the end of October, and Bossi believes he will take all five, so the Cats should get a chance to impress the elite forward before a decision.
While Friday's news was a surprise, it's a bundle of good news for Villanova. Obviously first is the fact that they have the chance to land a top 10 player. But also what it says about the state of the program. Robinson-Earl is the third top 20 player to include Nova in a final four or five in the last week. I also believe that Villanova's inclusion in Robinson-Earl's top five despite the lack of news or buzz surrounding the player and the school is an indication that recruits are starting to pay as much attention to Villanova as Villanova is to recruits.
The bottom line is that this was a pleasant Friday morning surprise and is something else to keep an eye on as we head into the fall.
Lets take a moment to get familiar if Robinson-Earl has (understandably) been off your radar. He is a 6-9 forward out of Kansas who plays at IMG Academy in Florida. A five-star prospect, he is currently ranked number nine in the class of 2019.
Rivals' Eric Bossi talked with Robinson-Earl about his list and here's what he said about Villanova: "One of the reasons is the past three years they've won two national championships so they are obviously doing something good up there. I think they like to do a lot of five out or small ball so they will use their bigger guys as a threat on the court. I watched when they played in the Final Four they were able to use their five man and make matchups and spread the floor."
You can read Bossi's full article here, but reading Robinson-Earl's comments about each school, it feels as though two things he is prioritizing are how he is going to be used and preparing for the next level.
Robinson-Earl hopes to have his visits done by the end of October, and Bossi believes he will take all five, so the Cats should get a chance to impress the elite forward before a decision.
While Friday's news was a surprise, it's a bundle of good news for Villanova. Obviously first is the fact that they have the chance to land a top 10 player. But also what it says about the state of the program. Robinson-Earl is the third top 20 player to include Nova in a final four or five in the last week. I also believe that Villanova's inclusion in Robinson-Earl's top five despite the lack of news or buzz surrounding the player and the school is an indication that recruits are starting to pay as much attention to Villanova as Villanova is to recruits.
The bottom line is that this was a pleasant Friday morning surprise and is something else to keep an eye on as we head into the fall.
