Villanova DE Target Thomas Ajasin: Buy Stock Now

Villanova Football recruiting target Thomas Ajasin didn’t set foot on the gridiron until his freshman year of high school. Two seasons later, the 6-foot-2, 250 pound defensive end’s recruiting is picking up attention from a growing number of Division I programs.

Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Ajasin moved to New York City in middle school. He began his athletic career on the basketball court, but his bulky frame helped catch the eye of football coaches at Bronx Health Science High School.

“I was six foot, 200 [pounds] as an eighth grader. I was a big kid, so coaches said I should play football; I was playing basketball so I was like ‘I don’t really know,’ it was too physical for me,” Ajasin said. “So I went to high school and the football coach saw me in the hallway and was like ‘who are you?!’ I said I was a freshman, and he said ‘yeah, you definitely have to play football.’ I said ‘sure, I’ll give it a try.’”

The move paid off for Ajasin, but not right away. He made the junior varsity team as a freshman, then transferred to Rancocas Valley Regional High School in New Jersey, where he sat out as a sophomore.

“Nothing Can Stop Me Besides Me”

“My mom is very strict about grades. She wanted me to have 90s and above, typical mom stuff,” Ajasin said. “I really wanted to give football a shot, so I locked in in school, I got way better grades than I had, and I was able to come back to football for my junior year.”

Ajasin said that the work ethic he learned from his mom’s expectations helps him in all facets of life, not just the classroom.

“When I really want to do something, nothing can stop me besides me,” Ajasin said. “So when I decided I really wanted to play football I was like ‘I’m a smart kid, sometimes I just don’t try.’ I decided if I really want to play the sport I had to concentrate, give it my all.”

Even with college offers rolling in — since Villanova offered on May 6, Ajasin also earned bids from Monmouth and Akron — he said he still feels like a raw recruit. Asked about his best attributes right now, he focused on his strength and speed.

“I’m very quick off the ball, so it’s harder for offensive linemen to block me because once they snap the ball, I’m in the backfield,” Aiasin said. “My strength, it’s easy for me to bull rush my way in, whatever I have to do.”

Adding Finesse

Heading into his senior season, Ajasin wants to round out his game, learning to rely on skill as much as his athleticism. He mentioned adding to his pass rushing tool kit and brushing up on situational awareness.

“There’s always stuff to work on. I would say better finishes. You can work on the moves to get in the backfield, but being able to finish the play, finish what I started, that was something I wasn’t really able to do as much last year,” Ajasin said. “Just calm down and relax for a minute, find the quarterback and get to him… patience is definitely something I’m trying to work on.”

Still a relative newcomer to the sport, the idea that the sky is the limit is more than just a cliche for Ajasin.

“I’ve only played football for two years, and I’ve only played varsity football for one year,” Ajasin said. “Not to sound like I have an ego or anything, but development-wise, if this is what I can do now, imagine what I can do with college coaching four or five years from now.” 

Villanova Connection

Ajasin said that he plays at both defensive tackle and defensive end as needed at Rancocas Valley; the Wildcats are primarily recruiting him at the latter position. Offensive line coach Sean Devine, defensive coordinator Ross Pennypacker and head coach Mark Ferrante are all playing a role in his recruiting.

“They’ve been recruiting me for quite a while now… they really took the time to know who I am, [we] grew that relationship,” Ajasin said. “Now they finally offered me and they feel like I’m a great fit for their program, so it’s been pretty great.”

Ajasin continued, describing how the Wildcats’ people-first philosophy stands out compared to the other offers he’s earned.

“Out of all the schools recruiting me, Villanova is top communication wise. I have a phone call with one of their coaches every Monday at 6 p.m. That’s very special, it means a lot to me: it makes me feel special, it makes me understand that they actually want me there,” Ajasin said.

“I’m not just a guy that can play football for them. I’m a guy they see as family and a guy they think would be a great fit for their program.”