Villanova struck in a major way on Wednesday evening, as the Big East juggernaut landed the commitment of top-50 small forward Brandon Slater. A long and athletic left-handed rising senior with a versatile skillset, Slater is the perfect type of perimeter weapon that has excelled in recent years on the Main Line.

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A priority recruit for some of the top schools up and down the East Coast, Slater chose Villanova over Maryland, South Carolina and Miami. While each offered an enticing opportunity to the four-star small forward, Villanova was too much to pass up.

“Out of all the schools, it was just Villanova. They had the best relationship with not only me, but my coaches, my friends and my family,” Slater said. “I felt I could be comfortable with them. It felt like we knew each other my whole life but we really just met for the first time two years ago.”

The Team Takeover standout said that Villanova was an ideal fit.

“It was just that feeling that I had coming onto campus two years ago, that feeling that it was already home,” he said. “Just seeing them play over the years, it feels like they are an older, stronger version of PVI and Takeover. What I have been taught over the years is what they teach.

“They told me that they want to use me for everything; like with pick and rolls, coming off screens, trying to run an offense, and stuff like that.”

Slater is the first commitment in the 2018 class for Villanova. He's a do-it-all type of wing-forward that can turn into a three-and-D prospect for the NBA ranks in the years ahead. While he does have to pack on further strength, the lefty can be relied upon for his versatile defense and perimeter shot making, all of which makes his decision to play for Jay Wright that much more of a win for the Big East program.