Villanova O-lineman Ijalana ready for NFL jump

Thursday, February 24, 2011
Posted: 8:03 p.m.

By Reuben Frank
CSNPhilly.com

INDIANAPOLISIt was a few days before his first college game. Villanova-Maryland at Byrd Stadium in College Park on Sept. 1, 2007.

Ben Ijalana had just turned 18 three weeks earlier and Villanova offensive line coach Mark Ferrante pulled the young offensive lineman aside and gave him some shocking news.

He brought me in and said youre starting at tackle, Ijalana said. He said, I believe you can play in the NFL. You show glimpses of really good things. He said, Youre a small-school (guy), but what he said then has stuck with me to this dayIf you can play, theyll find you. I truly believe that.

Ijalana started in that 31-14 loss to the Terps out of the ACC and wound up starting all 53 games Villanova played over the past four years. The Wildcats went 40-13 during that span, winning the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision national title in 2009 with a 23-21 win over Montana in Chattanooga, Tenn.

During these past four years, Ijalana has blossomed from a lightly recruited kid who was better known as a wrestler during his scholastic days at South Jerseys Rancocas Valley High School into one of the top offensive line prospects in this years draft.

On Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium, the Hainesport native said he doesnt consider himself a small-school prospect.

Just an NFL prospect.

Its why Im here now, he said. There might be knocks on my level of competition. But its what you do out on the football field that matters.

Ijalana missed the Senior Bowl and isnt working out this week, thanks to a bilateral sports hernia he suffered on Nov. 13 in Novas loss to New Hampshire. Although he was able to play four more games with the injury, he underwent surgery on Dec. 28. He does plan on being healthy enough to work out for the scouts at Villanovas Pro Day on March 14.

My main concern here is just to show teams and scouts how Im healing, he said. I was a little bummed. Cant really participate here. Just focusing on my body and waiting for my Pro Day.

Ijalana hails from the same high school as former first-round picks Franco Harris, Irving Fryar and Alonzo Spellman and could very well be the Mount Holly schools fourth first-round pick.

But in high school, he was better known as a wrestler than a football player. And he says it was wrestling that helped make him a better football player.

It was vital, he said. Wrestling is probably the hardest physical activity Ive ever been involved in. Its intense. Its insane. Youre moving around. A match is six minutes. Its about movement and staying up. Its a matter of what you do after you get tired. Because youre going to get tired. Youre going to get exhausted. And you still have to move and fight through it.

When you think of a game, 60 to 70 plays, fourth-quarter drive, overtime. Guys putting their hands on you. It definitely helped me.

At 6-foot-4, 320 pounds, Ijalana could wind up being a guard in the NFL. He would sure look good at right guard along the Eagles offensive line.

Wherever a team wants to put me, Ill play, he said. Ive been playing offensive tackle for the last eight years. But the way coaching is now, you can get coached up to play anywhere on offensive line.

The one thing nobody can coach is height, and Ijalana said he doesnt worry about that, at 6-4 he doesnt have classic offensive tackle size.

When I wake up tomorrow, Im still going to be this height, he said. Theres nothing I can do about it. Im not 6-6. Im not 6-8. But if you put some cleats and a helmet on me, I can (play like I am). Im just trying to show them my skill set.

Growing up in South Jersey, Ijalana had no choice to be an Eagles fan. And he said Thursday that whatever happens, whatever team ends up drafting him, that wont change.

Theyve been my team since birth, he said. My household is a bunch of Eagles fans. But basically, whatever team drafts me, Ill go. Ill still be an (Eagles) fan.

E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com
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