Villanova put together a very good class, with three very underrated prospects arguably making this one of the biggest sleeper classes in the country. This group was Ranked 27th in the nation but I believe this is a top 10 type of class. When you see all these guys play, they are all winners and leave it all on the floor. Samuels will add excitement Villanova hasn’t seen. Roundtree will be the type of forward to catch lobs and gain excitement I always thought Roundtree is a high 4 star talent, he is a bully in the post along with being able to run the floor. Gillespie will turn out to be a very respected and productive performer for Villanova he has intangibles you just can’t teach, this class will add the depth and talent Villanova will need to be a top 5 team.
4 star small forward Jermaine Samuels, a 5 star talent, could be the most underrated player in the 2017 class. There are numerous players like Michael Porter Jr., Trevon Duval, Sexton, Lonnie Walker, Trevon Duval who get recognition as top players in this class, but Samuels is just as good as any of them. The recent no.1 recruit for Villanova in the 2017 class is ranked no.1 in Massachusetts, no. 9 among small forwards and the 45th player in 2017 by 247. Samuels is the type of player that can become Big East player of the year. Villanova battled some of the top schools in the nation for Samuels’s services. The Three rivers high school star is a high flyer and has the potential to be an elite two way player. Samuels can also handle the ball; his all-around game will become an even better.
Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree is the x-factor of this class he will add a presence on both sides of the ball, his energy is contagious. The Philadelphia bred beast is a 4 star power forward who knows how to win. Coming out of Neumann Goretti high school, Cosby-Roundtree averaged a double-double with 15.9 points and 11.5 rebounds blocking 3.5 shots while shooting 76 percent from the field. Roundtree is the 5th best player in Pennsylvania, 22nd best power forward and 97th best player in 2017, he gives Villanova someone who will constantly affect the game whether it’s in the post scoring or playing manimal defense he will be an exciting piece for the future.
Collin Gillespie was a very lucky blessing for Jay Wright as Villanova tried get such players like Chris Lykes, Eli Brooks, Trevon Duval, Quade Green, Darryl Morsell, and Lonnie Walker. After Walker committed to Miami, Wright went after Gillespie who was one of the faster rising high school players in the nation. Playing for Archbishop Wood, Gillespie averaged 22.7 points a game proving can score and showing a strong basketball IQ. Gillespie will be a good player for the Wildcats and is always ready for the big game. He proved this when he scored 42 points in comparison to 5 star Quade Green’s 30. Gillespie also scored 16 points and 7 assists while shooting 4-9 from long range in the Jordan Brand Classic Regional game. Not to be overlooked, Gillespie is a high 3 star player he is ranked 9th in Pennsylvania 39th among point guards and 202 among prospects in the 2017 class.
