Ohio State Recruiting Round-Up: Tate Martell

A look at Ohio State QB Tate Martell.

We have covered a few of my favorite recruits in this series and this next review is of a prospect that has some insane amount of hype surrounding him in Tate Martell. Obviously the Ohio State quarterback position is jammed up with J.T. Barrett returning, Joe Burrow coming back as his number two, and let’s not forget Dwayne Haskins who was another electrifying recruit coming out of high school just last year.

Player: Tate Martell

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Position: Quarterback

Height: 5-11

Weight: 205 lbs.

Ranking: 4 Stars

Chose Ohio State Over: North Carolina & Pittsburgh

The hype machine was at an all time high with Martell this recruiting cycle and his style of play and swagger are a perfect representation of where he comes from in Vegas. Martell made a name for himself as an Army All-American, Elite 11 QB, and at The Opening.

Many recruiting pundits believe Martell will be the big man on campus once Barrett leaves and he has all of the tools Urban Meyer looks for in his starting quarterback.

Strengths: High school statistics are never a good indicator of a player’s collegiate potential, but Martell dominated opponents during his career. Martell is graduating with 113 touchdowns passing touchdowns, 7,507 passing yards, 2,294 rushing yards, and only nine interceptions.

Another comforting factor is that Martell has been labeled as a the next big thing since his days in middle school and so far he has not failed and has risen to the occasion each and every time.

Sep 9, 2016; Long Beach, CA, USA; Bishop Gorman Gaels quarterback Tate Martell (18) runs the ball for a touchdown against the St. John Bosco Braves during the second half at Veterans Stadium. The Bishop Gorman Gaels won 35-20. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

Weaknesses: Martell is small, he doesn’t crack six-foot and barely exceeds 200 pounds and height is not something that can be improved. His body does not necessarily look like one that can take a Big Ten beating either, but he can continue to gain strength and weight in an elite college weight program.

Many scouts have raved about his rushing ability, but he scrambled around for extensive periods of times waiting for huge holes to open up in high school. His team was the most talented team on the field most of the time and he knew how to take advantage of his great blockers.

In order for Martell to be an effective runner like he was in high school he will have to improve his style, speed, and agility.

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Comparison: I Have No Idea: To find a game comparable to Martell’s you have to watch old school football, where the quarterbacks were more glorified running backs that had the ability to launch the ball down the field. A lot of Martell’s game is backyard football biding time until someone breaks open. There is a lot to like with his game and confidence, but I feel he will need a year to make the proper adjustments.

Overall: I like Martell and he has he ability to contribute in year two and I fully expect him to battle for the starting job after Barrett leaves. With all of that said, I loved Dwayne Haskins’ film and am kind of surprised that people are assuming Martell will beat him out.

Must Read: Ohio State Recruiting Round-Up: Josh Myers

A lot can happen in a year and Martell has a reputation of having a strong work ethic and has enrolled early. The extra time should benefit him when adjusting to the college game and maybe enough to push him for some heavy playing time in year two.

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