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CBS Sports analyst views Maryland as 'vulnerable' for Buzz Williams' debut season

Originally posted on Maryland Terrapins on SI
By Chris Breiler | Last updated Jul 10, 2025 10:31 AM ET

Although there is plenty of optimism in College Park heading into the 2025-26 college basketball season, there are also plenty of question marks. Given the amount of turnover that took place during the offseason, fans and analysts aren't quite sure what to make of the Terrapins just yet.

In addition to the loss of head coach Kevin Willard to Villanova, Maryland lost every member from last year's roster. So when head coach Buzz Williams made the move from Texas A&M to Maryland, he was essentially tasked with rebuilding the program from the ground up. Williams went to the portal and landed nine incoming transfers, including four guys who played under him at Texas A&M. The class included seven four-star prospects and finished No. 17 in the nation according to 247Sports.

In addition to the impressive portal haul, Williams also signed the No. 26 recruiting class in the nation, headlined by five-star guard Darius Adams.

With some solid pieces in place, along with all of the unknowns of an entirely new roster and staff, CBS Sports analyst Jon Rothstein recently ranked the Terrapins at No. 11 in his preseason power rankings. Here's what he had to say:

"Anytime you're flipping an entire roster, you're leaving yourself open to be a little bit vulnerable. Here's what I like about Maryland: Solomon Washington and Pharrel Payne went to the NCAA tournament under Buzz Williams last year. Elijah Saunders, started at San Diego State, then went to Virginia, he is going to play a major role up front for Maryland. He's been in a program like San Diego State that's going to emphasize a lot of the things that Buzz Williams is going to emphasize on a regular basis. And Myles Rice, who transferred from Indiana, is somebody that was part of a renaissance for Washington State, a renaissance that ended in the NCAA tournament. So there's NCAA tournament experience for multiple Maryland starters, even if that experience isn't together."

Jon Rothstein picks Maryland to finish 11th in the Big Ten next season, highlighting their NCAA Tournament experience as a way to overcome playing with so many new faces. pic.twitter.com/X5jDzGFNEI
— Inside Maryland Sports (@Terrapins247) July 7, 2025