18. Jeremiah Williams – Rutgers
This past season did not go according to plan for Williams or his program but it wasn’t the first stumble in his playing career. The Chicagoan dates back to 2020, arriving at Temple during the opening salvo of the pandemic before playing in 38 games across the next two seasons. Williams then transferred to Iowa State but an injury forced a redshirt before he played any games for the Cyclones. He’d then find another new home at Rutgers and did outstanding work while putting up more than 12 points a game last season.
Unfortunately, both Williams and the Scarlet Knights took a step back this season. Rutgers leaned heavily on a pair of elite prospects and minimized Williams’ role, as he averaged just 7.0 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. He did play a full season for the first time, but Rutgers finished below .500 and the entire season was underwhelming as can be. Williams only has one shot left and has played in just 81 collegiate games to this point; can his final school over him that chance to be a consistent star?
17. Jordan Marsh – UNC Asheville
Sometimes a change of scenery can greatly change a player’s trajectory and Marsh certainly put up great numbers this past season at his second school. A Charlotte native, this 5-10 point guard spent his freshman year up at Appalachian State and quietly was a great producer as a true freshman with right around 6 points per game for the Mountaineers. In the offseason he headed to UNC Asheville and transformed into one of the best guards in the Big South.
Marsh would earn First Team All-Big South honors in a highly productive sophomore season, one in which he averaged 18.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. He altered the game on a number of levels with the Bulldogs, helping them to a 2nd place finish in the league standings. Obviously he’s undersized and has yet to develop into a reliable 3-point shooter (30.5% last season), but Marsh has serious game and will be a reliable weapon at his third school.
16. Sean Stewart – Ohio State
As a freshman Stewart did what was expected of him, heading to Duke as a Top 20 recruit with the Blue Devils. After brilliance in high school in Florida, he didn’t get as much of a chance to shine with the Blue Devils, as the 6-9 forward was a few slots down on the depth chart. After that meager production, he entered the portal and found a new landing spot at Ohio State, with hopes to become a more prominent piece of the Buckeyes’ puzzle.
He certainly found that role as a full-time starter, though he’d average just 5.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game for the Buckeyes. Stewart played solid minutes despite foul trouble and showed his size, with solid rebounding and shot blocking production as a sophomore. However, he didn’t quite make that expected jump as a second-year player and certainly didn’t live up to that 4 or 5-star billing. He’ll look for another new landing spot, though hopefully he can stay on the court for more than 18 minutes a game next season.