Ohio State gets commitment from 5-star QB recruit
The 5-10, 195-pound Martell, a former Texas A&M commit who plays for Las Vegas prep powerhouse Bishop Gorman, has been compared to Johnny Manziel for his play-making skills. Last week, Martell impressed observers at the Elite 11 Finals in Southern California with his great feet and smarts to make quick reads. We discussed Martell's game as well as the rep that he could become a pied piper for the program that lands him on the Audible with our guest Scout recruiting analyst Greg Biggins. Martell is so well-regarded by many other top recruits, especially five-star WR Tyjon Lindsey.
I'm excited to announce that I
— Tate Martell (@TheTateMartell) June 13, 2016
have officially committed to
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY! pic.twitter.com/fWpD7hcZ13
In July 2012, as a 14-year-old soon-to-be eighth-grader, Martell -- then a home-schooled student and protege of West Coast QB coach Steve Clarkson -- accepted a scholarship to Washington when that program was run by Steve Sarkisian.
Clarkson showed Sarkisian (also a former Clarkson protege himself) film of Martell and told him, "If you could clone Fran Tarkenton and Brett Favre, you would have Tate Martell."
How Martell fits at Ohio State will be interesting. The Buckeyes' clear starter in 2016 will be junior J.T. Barrett, and they have 2016 signee Dwayne Haskins, who Meyer told FOX Sports last winter is the "best QB recruit he's ever seen." Martell, though, isn't one to be shy of competition. After all, he did commit to A&M when they still had Kyle Allen and fellow five-star quarterback Kyler Murray in the program.