Back in October, four-star combo guard Chris Jeffrey committed to Maryland with hopes of playing for Kevin Willard, the head coach. As soon as Willard left, Jeffrey reopened his recruitment. Villanova appointed Willard, and as soon as he reached out to Jeffrey again, Jeffrey jumped at the chance.
According to Joe Tipton, Jeffrey announced on Sunday that he has committed to the Wildcats and will play under Willard in the Keystone State. He’s now the only member of Villanova’s 2025 recruiting class as the program starts its rebuild.
What is the 6’3″ guard bringing to Villanova?
According to On3’s 2025 rankings, Jeffrey is the No. 57 overall prospect and No. 8 point guard in the nation. Jeffrey played for Mt. Zion Prep and Maryland and helped propel the high school to number four in the state.
NEWS: 4⭐️ Chris Jeffrey, a former Maryland pledge, has committed to Villanova and will follow Kevin Willard, he tells @On3Recruits.
The 6-3 point guard is a top-60 recruit in the 2025 class, per On3. https://t.co/r8EsIPbkmQ pic.twitter.com/cJYjE3gj4z
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) April 6, 2025
His personal encounter with Willard convinced him about his commitment.
“Coach Willard and the staff have been honest with me since we met, telling me things I’ve done good but also saying things I don’t want to hear,” he told Tipton when he committed. “So after I realized that, I knew these are the coaches that are going to push me to be the best I can be.”
National recruiting analyst James Shaw noted that Jeffrey is very strong and physical. He’s very physical on defense, has quick hands, and is very competitive. His switches on and off the ball consistently made things tough for opponents.
Jeffrey played in the EYBL during the summer, averaging 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Willard and Villanova’s rebuild
Kevin Willard was appointed to rebuild Villanova’s program and he’s started recruiting players. He secured the services of Malachi Palmer the same night Jeffrey committed to Villanova. Palmer played for Willard at Maryland and more Maryland players could be on their way to Villanova.
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Willard highlighted the importance of not relying on one-year players during his first session with reporters as Villanova’s coach, and he’s been targeting players with multiple years of college eligibility left.
Willard hasn’t finalized his roster yet but it is definitely sure that Villanova will have a new starting five next season.
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