Villanova Football Commit Josiah Adams Coming to Prove Himself

Villanova Football earned the commitment of defensive back Josiah Adams, a 2026 recruit out of Upper Darby’s Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast High School, on Saturday, Jan. 31.

Adams, who won the PIAA 4A state championship with the Friars in 2024, tried his hand at outside cornerback, slot corner and safety during his time in high school. He earned a Power Four offer from West Virginia offensive coordinator Chad Scott, who specialized in recruiting the Philadelphia area, in January 2024. Scott departed the Mountaineers after a head coaching change later that year, which could’ve thrown a wrench in Adams’ recruitment.

Instead, Adams said he redoubled his efforts on the field.

“Honestly I just let that part [recruiting] work out for itself,” Adams said. “I just focused on playing football, that’s how I handled that.”

Asked what Villanova fans should look forward to once he makes his way onto the field, Adams described the work ethic his recruiting journey helped teach him. While many athletes will talk about wanting to prove narratives or doubters wrong, Adams looks at it from a different angle.

“I think they should be looking forward to someone that’s coming in to work, someone that’s very, very motivated and has high goals for himself, so he’s coming in to prove that to himself,” Adams said. “Just talking to some of the guys and just being a sponge, learning from some of the older guys.”

Fitting in at Villanova

Villanova began to recruit Adams after the conclusion of his senior season, and he said that while the offer came late, the way they treated him stood out. He didn’t feel like an afterthought.

“It was a late recruitment. So I’d say about two, three weeks ago… that’s when our relationship first started,” Adams said. “For it to be a late recruiting type of thing, the love that they showed me. And also I’m familiar with the university.”

The Wildcats are famous for their 3-3-5 defensive scheme, a unique look that allows them to confuse opposing offenses with pre-snap misdirection. Adams said he went through a film session during his recruiting process, giving him an idea of what to expect in the seasons to come. 

“I like how they’re very multiple in their defense. When I sat down with coach [Dustin] Johnson, their corners coach, he went through some of their film,” Adams said. “They’re very multiple, they like to switch it up, they’ll put their guys man on man and just let them play.”

Growing up a half hour drive from Villanova campus, Adams is familiar with both the university and some of the players on the football team, who he competed against in the Philadelphia Catholic League, including incoming cornerback recruit Abu Fofana (Conwell-Egan). He also played against receiver Braden Reed, who won Freshman All-American honors for his performance last season and played a key role in their run to the FCS semifinals.

“He and I played against each other in my junior, his senior year,” Adams said. “Honestly, based on our high school games, I kinda knew that when he got to the next level he was gonna be a sleeper and be good. When I played him I knew he had something.”