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 Draft Scout College Football Player News: Villanova
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  2022 ALL-CAA FOOTBALL FIRST TEAM: Jaaron Hayek, Villanova, WR, Sr.,...Hayek played in each of the Wildcats first eight games and amassed 810 yards and eight touchdowns on 36 receptions. He averaged 102.5 yards per game and became only the fourth receiver in Villanova history to average over 100 yards per game for a full season. The others to achieve that mark were Wildcats standouts Mike Siani (1970), Brian Finneran (1996, 1997) and Brian Westbrook (1998). Hayek tallied four games with at least 120 receiving yards this season and he had the best game of his career at Maine on October 1 to help Villanova post a 45-20 victory.

In the Maine game, Hayek had career highs of 159 yards and four touchdowns, including a career-long 83-yard touchdown reception. The performance against Maine made Hayek the Wildcats third receiver ever to have at least four touchdown catches in a game, joining Siani (five against Xavier in 1971) and former teammate Changa Hodge (four against Delaware in 2019). Hayek's 810 yards on the year rank 14th in a season in school history despite missing the last three games of the year. At the time of his injury he was ranked fifth in the FCS in receiving yards per game, sixth in total receiving yards and eighth in receiving touchdowns. All three of his marks in those categories also led the CAA through the first nine weeks of the 2022 campaign. - Villanova Football


rSr/2024 WR Jaaron HayekVillanova
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  2022 ALL-CAA FOOTBALL THIRD TEAM: Matthew Mercurio, Villanova, PK, Gr.,...Mercurio was a newcomer to the Wildcats this season as a graduate transfer from San Jose State and he led the team in scoring with 65 points on the year. Mercurio made 10-of-12 field goal attempts and was a perfect 35-of-35 on PATs in 11 games played. He led the CAA and ranked eighth in the country with his 83.3 percent success rate on field goals. His overall scoring ranked 11th in the conference and Mercurio was also fourth in the league in field goals per game.

He made at least one field goal in nine of 11 games on the year, including two successful attempts at William & Mary on November 12. Mercurio made 4-of-6 field goals from 30 yards or longer on the year and made attempts from 45 yards against William & Mary as well as 40 yards at Army West Point. Prior to coming to Villanova this season, Mercurio was a two-time honorable mention All-Mountain West selection during his undergraduate career. He amassed 222 points over three seasons at San Jose State. His career totals with the Spartans and the Wildcats now include 290 points on 54-of-66 field goals and 128-of-133 PATs. - Villanova Football


rSr/2024 K Matt MercurioVillanova
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  2022 ALL-CAA FOOTBALL SECOND TEAM: Dez Boykin, Villanova, KR, Gr.,...Boykin finished the 2022 season ranked second in the CAA and 25th nationally with an average of 24.3 yards per kickoff return. He returned 23 kickoffs on the year for a total of 559 yards, including the longest return of his career for 68 yards in the season opener against Lehigh. Boykin has been the Wildcats primary return man throughout his career and had his best season in 2022 with 14 returns of 20 yards or longer and five returns of at least 30 yards. He averaged 23.9 yards per return or better in three of his five collegiate seasons and wound up with 74 career returns for 1,725 yards (23.3 yards per return). In the final game this year against Delaware, Boykin moved into fourth place in school history in career kickoff return yards.

In addition to his return stats Boykin also had the best season of his career as part of the Villanova receiving corps. He topped 1,000 career receiving yards in the final game of his career against Delaware and finished the 2022 season with a team-high 1,045 all-purpose yards. Boykin 20 receptions for 469 yards and two touchdowns on the year. He averaged 23.5 yards per reception and hauled in touchdowns of 66 yards against Lehigh and 60 yards at LIU in the first two games of the year. Boykin's career totals included 57 receptions for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns. - Villanova Football


rSr/2023 WR Dez BoykinVillanova
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  2022 ALL-CAA FOOTBALL SECOND TEAM: Michael Corbi, Villanova, OL, Gr.,...Corbi has been a mainstay on the Villanova offensive line over the past four seasons and he started nine of the team's 11 games at right guard this year. The offensive line helped the Wildcats rank third in the CAA and 25th nationally with an average of 189.6 rushing yards per game. Villanova topped 200 rushing yards in a game on four occasions and also recorded four games with at least three rushing touchdowns. The hallmark of the Wildcats offense in 2022 was the team's big-play ability, as Villanova had 49 plays from scrimmage of 20 yards or longer.

Those figures include 17 rushes and 32 pass plays of at least 20 yards, while the Wildcats scored 11 touchdowns on those long plays. This is the third straight season in which Corbi has garnered CAA Football All-Conference accolades. He was previously a first team selection for both the 2020 season (contested in Spring 2021) and the 2021 campaign. Corbi has started 25 of the 32 career games he has played in and has helped the Villanova offense average better than 31 points per game over the last four seasons. - Villanova Football


rSr/2023 OG Michael CorbiVillanova
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  NOV 21 CAA FOOTBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK: Shane Hartzell, Fr., LB, Villanova (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge),...Hartzell recorded 10 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and a sack in Villanova's 29-26 victory over Delaware in the Battle of the Blue. It was the second double-digit tackle performance of the season for Hartzell, who led the Wildcats with 74 tackles and 9.0 TFL's this season. - CAA Football

rJr/2026 ILB Shane HartzellVillanova
News Source: CAA Football
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  Connor Watkins scored on a 2-yard run with 1:11 remaining and Villanova rallied to beat Delaware 29-26 on Saturday. Watkins opened the scoring with a 7-yard run to give Villanova (6-5, 4-4 Colonial Athletic Association) a 7-0 first-quarter lead. Nick Henderson pulled Delaware (7-4, 4-4) even by quarter's end with a 48-yard scoring strike to Thyrick Pitts. Henderson and Pitts teamed up again for a 7-yard touchdown early in the second quarter but the Blue Hens missed the point-after kick and led 13-7. The Wildcats regained the lead on Deewil Barlee's 1-yard run before a field goal by Brandon Ratcliffe gave Delaware a 16-14 lead at intermission. Henderson's 25-yard scoring strike to Jourdan Townsend gave the Blue Hens a 23-14 lead midway through the third quarter. Barlee scored on an 11-yard run to get Villanova within 23-21 heading to the final period. Henderson completed 37 of 59 passes for 347 yards for Delaware. The Blue Hens out-gained the Wildcats 461-250. - Villanova/AP College Football

Sr/2024 QB Connor WatkinsVillanova
News Source: Villanova/AP College Football
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  Matthew Mercurio kicked a 28-yard field goal on the final play of the game and Connor Watkins threw three touchdown passes to propel Villanova to a 31-29 victory over Albany on Saturday. Watkins connected with Rayjoun Pringle for an 80-yard touchdown on a first-down play with 4:44 remaining in the game to give Villanova (4-3, 2-2 Colonial Athletic Association) a 28-16 lead. Reese Poffenbarger answered with two touchdown passes to Thomas Greaney 61 seconds apart - covering 4 and 5 yards - and Albany (1-6, 0-4) grabbed a 29-28 lead with 53 seconds left to play. That was enough time for the Wildcats, who used Watkins' 23-yard pass to Dez Boykin and defensive-holding and pass-interference penalties to keep the drive alive and set up Mercurio's winning kick.

Villanova jumped out to a 21-0 lead on TD Ayo-Durojaiye's 70-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and Watkins' scoring tosses to Jaaron Hayek covering 18 yards and a 20-yarder to Pringle in the second. Albany didn't get on the scoreboard until Poffenbarger hit Brevin Easton for a 26-yard touchdown with 6 seconds left in the first half. Poffenbarger's 1-yard touchdown run and Elijah Hills' sack of Watkins for an 11-yard loss and a safety left the Great Danes trailing 21-16 after three quarters. Watkins completed 18 of 26 passes for 292 yards for the Wildcats. Ayo-Durojaiye rushed for 136 yards on 20 carries. Pringle totaled 143 yards on four catches. Poffenbarger completed 33 of 42 passes for 370 yards with three touchdowns and an interception for the Great Danes. Poffenbarger also accounted for 44 of Albany's 57 rushing yards on 14 carries. - Villanova/AP College Football


Sr/2024 QB Connor WatkinsVillanova
News Source: Villanova/AP College Football
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  OCT 3 CAA FOOTBALL OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Jaaron Hayek, Sr., WR, Villanova (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills),...Hayek made five receptions for a career-high 159 yards and a career-best four touchdowns in Villanova's 45-20 victory at Maine. The four TD catches matched the most by any FCS player in 2022 and he's just the third player in VU history to have at least four TD grabs in a game. Hayek tallied scoring catches of 83, 42, 18 and 4 yards at Maine and went over the 100-yard mark for the fourth time in five games. - CAA Football

rSr/2024 WR Jaaron HayekVillanova
News Source: CAA Football
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  Connor Watkins threw four touchdown passes to Jaaron Hayek and Villanova breezed to a 45-20 victory over Maine on Saturday. Villanova (3-2, 1-1 Colonial Athletic Association), ranked 14th in the FCS coaches poll, grabbed a 10-0 lead on Matthew Mercurio's 39-yard field goal and Jalen Jackson's 5-yard touchdown run. Jay Fagnano connected with Montigo Moss for a 9-yard touchdown to pull Maine (0-4, 0-1) within 10-7 after one quarter. Watkins' first touchdown pass was a 4-yarder to Hayek, pushing the Wildcats' lead to 17-7 midway through the second quarter.

Watkins and Hayek teamed up for an 83-yard score on their next possession and closed out the first half with an 18-yarder, pushing Villanova's lead to 31-14. Watkins fired a 42-yard scoring strike to Hayek for the only score of the third quarter. Hayek's four touchdown receptions ties former teammate Changa Hodge (2019) for the second most in school history. Mike Siani caught five touchdown passes against Xavier in 1971. Watkins completed 13 of 16 passes for 255 yards. Hayek finished with five receptions for 159 yards. Fagnano completed 24 of 38 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns with one interception - a 23-yard pick-6 by Jalen Goodman. Running back Elijah Barnwell threw a 9-yard TD pass to Shawn Bowman in the fourth quarter. Zavier Scott had the other touchdown catch - a 30-yarder. - Villanova/AP College Football


rSr/2024 WR Jaaron HayekVillanova
News Source: Villanova/AP College Football
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  DeeWil Barlee rushed for a career-high 177 yards and a score and Villanova survived four interceptions to beat Long Island 38-21 on Saturday. TD Ayo-Durojaiye added a career-high 109 yards and another rushing touchdown. Connor Watkins was 7-of-12 passing with four of his incompletions being interceptions, three by Victor Nelson Jr. Watkins still threw for two scores - including a 60-yarder to Dez Boykin - and ran for another. The FCS fifth-ranked Wildcats (1-0), who travel to play Army next week, never trailed, leading 17-7 at halftime and 31-7 after three quarters. Derek Green was 31-of-45 passing for 230 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Sharks (0-2). - AP College Football

rSr/2024 RB DeeWil BarleeVillanova
News Source: AP College Football
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  Connor Watkins was 11-of-15 passing for 298 yards and three touchdowns, and Villanova scored the opening 24 points in routing Lehigh 45-17 on Friday night. Villanova, which has won 10 straight in the series, is coming off a 10-3 season that ended in the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs. Watkins took over for three-year starter Daniel Smith. Watkins threw for 235 yards and three touchdowns in the first half as Villanova led 31-14. Watkins had scoring plays of 66 yards to Dez Boykin and 68 yards to Jaaron Hayek. Hayek had four catches for 125 yards and two scores in the first half. Hayek finished with six receptions, 141 yards and two touchdowns for Villanova. Watkins, Jalen Jackson and DeeWil Barlee each ran for a score. Dante Perri was 22 of 39 for 227 yards with two touchdowns and one interception for Lehigh. Jalen Burbage caught eight passes for 106 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown with 12 seconds left before halftime. It was a season opener for both teams. - AP College Football

rSr/2024 WR Jaaron HayekVillanova
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  2022 PRESEASON FCS PUNTER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST: Nathan Fondacaro, Villanova,...Fondacaro enters 2022 as a grad student. Last season, Nathan played in 11 games and tallied 43 punts for 1,627 yards (37.8 average) … Had four punts of 50 yards or longer, including a season-long 55-yard effort … Seven of his punts were downed inside the opponent's 20-yard line, 14 were fair caught and none were blocked. - Villanova Football

rSr/2023 K Nathan FondacaroVillanova
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  2022 PRESEASON STATS PERFORM FCS FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN: OL - Michael Corbi, 6-6, 335, senior, Villanova,...Last season Corbi started all 12 games he played at left guard and was recognized by Stats Perform and Hero Sports who each named him a second team All-America pick. Corbi added first team All-CAA accolades a year ago as part of an offensive line which gave up just 14 sacks the entire season. Villanova ranked second in CAA Football and 11th nationally in fewest sacks allowed, while the offensive line helped the team average 30.1 points per game and 380.0 yards of total offense per contest. Corbi and his fellow linemen allowed the Wildcats to top 200 rushing yards in a game five times, score 22 rushing touchdowns and average 170.0 yards per game on the ground. - Villanova Football

rSr/2023 OG Michael CorbiVillanova
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  2022 PRESEASON ALL-CAA CONFERENCE TEAM (COACHES/MEDIA): Rayjoun Pringle, Villanova, Jr., WR,...Defending conference champion Villanova was picked as the preseason CAA Football favorite in a poll of league head coaches and media relations directors which was announced as part of a virtual media day. Rayjoun Pringle (second team) and Jaaron Hayek (third team) combined for 17 receiving touchdowns while each being all-conference performers. - Villanova Football

rSr/2024 WR Rayjoun PringleVillanova
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  2022 PRESEASON ALL-CAA CONFERENCE HONORABLE MENTION (COACHES/MEDIA): Jaaron Hayek, WR, Villanova,...Rayjoun Pringle (second team) and Jaaron Hayek (third team) combined for 17 receiving touchdowns while each being all-conference performers in 2021. - Villanova Football

rSr/2024 WR Jaaron HayekVillanova
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