March Madness 2025: Top 10 juniors who can make their mark on tournament ft. Braden Smith

March Madness is underway. That means brackets have been submitted, and fans are sweating out their bets and cheering for their favorite teams. With so many basketball players to keep up with, it's hard to know who to watch out for.

Let's take a look at some of the top juniors in the country who can make an impact in the NCAA Tournament.

Top 10 juniors that can make their mark

#1, Braden Smith

Smith was the only junior named to the AP All-America first team. The Purdue guard leads the team in assists with an NCAA second-best 8.7. He adds 16.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. The junior aids the Boilermakers on both sides of the ball, leading his squad in steals with 2.2.

Smith is a dynamic player who guides this Purdue team. In the first round, Smith's No. 4-seeded Purdue squad defeated No. 13 High Point 75-63. He played all 40 minutes and put up 20 points.

#2, RJ Luis Jr.

Smith may be the only junior to earn All-America first-team honors, but Luis is right behind him with a second-team selection. The St. John's star guard leads the team in scoring with 18.4 ppg and adds 7.4 rpg while shooting an admirable 32.5% from beyond the arc.

The guard has seen improvements in every major stat category this season and is a difference-maker for Rick Pitino's squad. St. John's is a No. 2 seed in March Madness after defeating Creighton in the Big East Tournament title game. Luis' team will open NCAA Tournament action against No. 15 seed Omaha on Thursday night.

#3, Tyrese Proctor

Freshman phenom Cooper Flagg is the Duke star who everyone seems to be talking about, but don't count out Proctor. The Australia native is a consistent starter for Duke and averages 12.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg and 2.2 apg.

Proctor is having the best season of his career and has seen shooting improvements from both the field and from 3-point range. His Blue Devils have a No. 1 seed and are expected to thrive in March Madness this season. They will open the tournament Friday against No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary's.

#4, Milos Uzan

Like Proctor, Uzan is playing for a top-seeded team. His Houston squad has received a No. 1 seed for a third consecutive season and dominated over No. 16 SIU Edwardsville in the first round 78-40.

Uzan leads the Cougars in assists with 4.3. He also contributes 11.5 ppg and 3.0 rpg. In the win over SIU Edwardsville, the guard put up 16 points and shot a scorching 85.7%.

#5, Trey Kaufman-Renn

Kaufman-Renn is another Boilermakers star to look out for. He leads Purdue in scoring with an NCAA 14th-best 20.2 ppg and shoots 59.9%, 15th-best in the country. The forward is having a breakout junior season, having averaged just 6.4 ppg as a sophomore.

In the first-round win over High Point, Kaufman-Renn put up 21 points and eight rebounds and shot 62.5%. Not only is the forward a dominant member of the Purdue team, but he is also having an unbelievable breakout season that you don't want to miss.

#6, Fletcher Loyer

Another Purdue player, what a surprise. This Boilermakers team is stacked with solid juniors, and Loyer is no exception. He is averaging a career-high 13.8 ppg for the No. 4 seeded squad and is shooting 47.4%, with an eye-catching 46.4% from 3.

The guard has been a consistent starter for Purdue all three seasons of his college career and has played better than ever this season. He's gotten off to a slow start in March Madness, putting up just eight points against High Point, but Loyer is still a player to look out for.

#7, Tamin Lipsey

Lipsey is another junior worthy of attention this postseason. His No. 3 seed Iowa State Cyclones are set to face No. 14 Lipscomb on Friday, and the junior guard will look for a big performance.

Curtis Jones is the clear star of this Cyclones squad, but Lipsey can be a real difference-maker. He has made 32 starts this season and averages 31.1 minutes on the court. In his most recent appearance, a Big 12 Tournament win over Cincinnati, Lipsey put up 16 points.

A groin issue kept the junior from appearing in the next round of the Big 12 Tournament, during which Iowa State fell to BYU. Lipsey is optimistic he will be available for the team's first March Madness game, so look out for him on the court Friday.

#8. Donovan Dent

Looking for an upset to keep your eye on? Check out Dent and his New Mexico Lobos. The Lobos enter March Madness as a No. 10 seed and are set to face No. 7 seed Marquette on Friday. The Golden Eagles lost three of their last four games this season, so many are looking for a potential upset.

Dent leads New Mexico in points, with an NCAA 8th-best 20.6, and assists, with 6.4, 12th best in the country. The junior guard is the star of this Lobos squad, and if he brings his A game, they could upset Marquette.

#9, Bennett Stirtz

Another possible upset is No. 11 Drake defeating No. 6 Missouri on Thursday night. The Bulldogs are guided by Stirtz, who contributes on both sides of the ball to lead the team in points, assists and steals.

Stirtz was an AP All-America honorable mention and has emerged as a potential NBA prospect. His 5.8 apg ranks 28th in the nation, and his 19.1 ppg is 41st in the NCAA. In the MVC Tournament title game, the guard put up 24 points and shot a nearly unbelievable 71.4% from 3-point range.

This is a player who could prove to be a real threat. If you're looking for an underdog to root for, root for Stirtz and his Drake team to go on a Cinderella run.

#10. Rylan Griffen

One of the most anticipated Round of 64 matchups is between No. 7 seed Kansas and No. 10 seed Arkansas on Thursday night. Keep an eye on Kansas guard Rylan Griffen in that matchup.

Griffen is in his first season with the Jayhawks after beginning his college career with two seasons at Alabama. He's experienced some stat decreases since coming to Kansas but is still an admirable contributor to this squad. He's played in 32 games this season and averages 6.4 points.

Griffen could be a promising part of the Jayhawks as they prepare to take on the Razorbacks.