A rising name throughout the DMV this fall in the junior class is Jelani Williams. The 6-fioot-4 guard is the definition of a playmaker with the ball in his hands and because of his versatility in the backcourt and the ability to play both on and off the basketball, the Sidwell Friends standout has the chance to see a priority recruitment entering his upperclassman years.

In getting a look at Jelani Williams during the DMV Elite 80 event at the beginning of the month, the junior guard displayed a quality jump shot from off the pull and from off the catch but seemed best served with the ball in his hands. He has a quality feel for the game in creating for others and is more shifty yet quick in getting past his defender on the blow-by. Due to his 6-foor-4 frame, long arms, and quality feel for the game, several colleges have already taken note and dished out an offer to the product of the Team Takeover travel program.

On Wednesday during an open gym viewing, Colgate became the fifth to offer the high-upside guard, joining Old Dominion, Hofstra, Penn, and Delaware. The process is just beginning though where such others as VCU, Temple, and Georgetown, another school that saw Williams on Wednesday, have shown further interest.

Since college coaches were able to get out to open gyms a few weeks back, Williams has been seen by Rice, Maryland, Penn, Stanford, ODU, VCU, George Washington, and Delaware, to go along with the already mentioned Georgetown and Colgate. In speaking with the DMV recruit, the junior noted who he is hearing from the most. “VCU, Maryland, Temple, and Penn have spoken to me the most often, but lately I have been talking to Stanford, Georgetown, and Georgia Tech.”

Still some time before any sort of commitment takes places, the Sidwell Friends star did note on what he is looking for in a school. “First and foremost, for me and my family, the quality of an education is very important. Both of my parents are educators so education is a big part of our household.” Williams went further in stating, “I will be looking for a coaching staff that I feel I have a great relationship with and that I feel comfortable around.”

Being able to get out and visit a handful of schools is important to Williams where getting a feel for the style of play and fit seems important to him and with plans to visit Georgetown on Saturday, September 26, the playmaking guard looks to be set to take off as a productive, well-followed recruit within the junior ranks on the east coast.