Villanova Film Room: Another Year On the Wing Should Help Devin Royal

This is one in a series of stories reviewing film for each player on Villanova Men’s Basketball’s 2026-27 roster. 

Villanova forward Devin Royal spent the first three seasons of his college career at Ohio State, playing the four for the Buckeyes during his freshman and sophomore years. Last season, he switched to the wing as the Buckeyes looked to add size down low: Royal, 6-foot-6 and athletic, has the flexibility to play both positions, but he told Philadelphia Sports Now that the adjustment took time.

Now in the final season of his college career — and with big men like Kwame Evans Jr. and Luigi Suigo guarding the paint for the Wildcats — Royal will likely play on the wing once again, although he could revert to the four in dedicated small-ball lineups. Another year of experience under his belt should help Royal end his time in college on a high note.

In line with his switch to the wing, Royal improved as a three-point shooter last season, going from making 27.6 to 31.6 percent (31-of-98) of his shots.That’s lower than one might hope for at his position, but his positive growth is a promising sign. More importantly, Royal was still able to stick to his fundamentals, making 54.8 percent of shots from two-point range while averaging 13.7 points per game as the Buckeyes’ No. 3 scoring option.

Jack of All Trades

Watching Royal’s performance in Ohio State’s NCAA Tournament loss to TCU, he was able to catch defenders off-guard while cutting into the paint, scoring a pair of easy layups off over-the-top passes. He’s a strong dribbler capable of knifing inside, although he did get blocked on a pull-up attempt on one play. While Royal isn’t ever going to live in the paint, especially now that he’s playing the wing, his versatility and athleticism should help him bring another floor-stretching element to Villanova’s offense no matter what position he plays at.

Royal averaged 5.7 rebounds per game last season, a tick down from his performance during the 2024-25 campaign… but still excellent given his move to the wing. More impressively, that number led the Buckeyes, who struggled mightily on the glass. That’s a testament to the effort Royal displays, as was his defensive performance in the loss to TCU.

Royal showed good pursuit, including an early rep where he hounded two Horned Frogs’ ball-handlers and helped force a pair of passes. When he wasn’t the primary defender in the Buckeyes’ 2-3 zone, Royal stayed engaged, often darting a hand in in a bid to poke the ball away and create a turnover.