Villanova Football Player D’Hani Cobbs Charged With Rape After Allegedly Texting Victim
Villanova University freshman wide receiver D’Hani Cobbs has been arrested and charged with rape and other sexual offenses following an investigation into an incident that occurred on campus in December 2025. The 20-year-old student-athlete was taken into custody by Villanova University Police on January 30, 2026, and faces multiple felony counts, including rape by forcible compulsion, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and aggravated indecent assault.
According to the affidavit of probable cause filed in Delaware County, the allegations stem from a sexual encounter that took place on December 7, 2025, in a campus dormitory. Prosecutors have introduced digital evidence as part of the case, specifically citing text messages allegedly sent by Cobbs to the accuser hours after the assault occurred. These communications have emerged as a focal point in the investigation, with authorities claiming the content of the messages supports the victim’s account of non-consensual contact.
Cobbs, a native of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and a graduate of Camden High School, was arraigned with bail set at $250,000. He has been unable to post the required 10 percent to secure his release. Following the arrest, Villanova University Athletics immediately removed Cobbs’ profile from the team’s official roster. The university issued a statement confirming the student’s removal from campus pending the legal outcome, stating, “Sexual violence of any kind is not tolerated on our campus, and we are committed to both supporting the victim and fostering a safe environment for all of our students.”
Defense counsel for Cobbs has not yet released a detailed public rebuttal to the specific contents of the text messages. Legal representatives are expected to argue that the encounter was consensual and that the text messages may be open to interpretation or have been taken out of context. As the legal process commences, the defense will likely challenge the admissibility and characterization of the digital evidence presented by the prosecution. Cobbs retains the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in a court of law.
The incident was reported to the university’s Department of Public Safety shortly after it occurred, triggering a Title IX investigation alongside the criminal probe. The university noted that the two students were known to each other prior to the alleged assault. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 12, 2026, where further details regarding the text messages and forensic evidence are expected to be presented to the court.
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