Villanova Football Roster Breakdown: Star Power at Running Back

This is one in a series of stories breaking down the 2025 Villanova Football roster. Click here to read about the Wildcats’ cornerback room; click here to read about the Wildcats’ defensive back room; click here to read about the Wildcats’ safety room; click here to read about the Wildcats’ defensive ends, and click here to read about the Wildcats’ defensive tackles; click here to learn about the Wildcats’ linebackers; click here to about the Wildcats’ specialists; click here to learn about the Wildcats’ interior offensive line; click here to learn about their tackles, and click here to learn about their quarterbacks.

Villanova Football returns one of the best young running backs in the country this season in the form of sophomore David Avit. The six foot tall, 225 pound tail back picked up 1,098 offensive yards during the 2024 season, setting a Villanova freshman record for yards from a running back and earning an FCS Freshman All-American selection.

Heading into this season with plenty of hype, Avit picked up a preseason All-CAA nomination and a spot on the Walter Payton Offensive Player of the Year Award watchlist. With three years of eligibility remaining, Avit could turn into a legitimate superstar during his time with the Wildcats.

Depth is Key

Depth is crucial at running back, and sophomores Isaiah Ragland (5-foot-9, 205 pounds) and Ja’briel Mace (5-foot-9, 175 pounds) should also see a fair amount of touches. Ragland finished second on the team last season with 511 yards and four touchdowns on 105 carries, while Mace did a little bit of everything, a Swiss Army knife with 39 carries for 180 yards, 11 catches for 130 yards and even 12 kickoff returns.

Between those three backs — and with an equally talented offensive line ready to pave holes for them — the Villanova football rushing offense should turn into a cornerstone in the coming years. Other options include senior depth piece Eli Smith (six feet tall, 230 pounds) who enjoyed his best season in 2022 with 171 rushing yards in five games but saw his playing time dip after that; senior Isaiah Wright (5-foot-8, 200 pounds) a shifty back with plenty of power, and Julian Glantz (6-foot-1, 220 pounds), who gets most of his time on special teams and made three tackles last season.

Incoming freshman Tyler Womack (5-foot-10, 190 pounds) made a pair of All-State teams in Maryland and could work his way into the lineup at some point as his college career progresses.