2017 5-Star QB Tate Martell Details Top 5, Plans to Announce in August
Quarterback Tate Martell managed to launch a national recruitment in middle school. Weeks shy of his junior season, the 5-star passer is prepared to determine a collegiate destination.
Martell, who leads reigning national champion Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas, Nevada), is focused on five finalists. He lists Alabama, Michigan, Texas A&M, USC and Washington as programs under consideration.
"It's down to that five," Martell told Bleacher Report. "I think the schools that want me to become a part of their program have offered me. I want to play for a coach who has made it clear he wants me."
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
His decision-making process won't last much longer.
Martell, the top-rated 2017 dual-threat prospect, plans to announce a commitment between August 10 and August 20. His season starts August 29 against Arizona powerhouse Chandler High School.
"I want to get it done before that first game," he said. "I think I have an idea of where I want to go and it just feels like the right time to make a decision."
Martell initially pledged to Washington prior to eighth grade, but he backed off that verbal commitment last winter. Steve Sarkisian, the coach who extended an offer from the Huskies, continued to target him following a transition to USC.
The head coach who landed him first could do it again.
"There's no doubt USC is going to be one of my top schools. If it's not the choice, it will probably be second or third on my list at the most," Martell said.
Though Martell grew up rooting for Ohio State, he spent his formative years in Southern California. His high school career started at Poway High School in San Diego County.
"It's USC. It's where just about every young football player in California dreams of playing in college," he said. "The program had a ton of stars when it was winning championships and now it feels like they're reloading."
How close does Martell think the Trojans are to transitioning from "reloading" to loaded?
"I think they're right there on that breaking point of being a great team. It's going to click eventually," he said. "They just had a top recruiting class and that's going to help. They're right there. This could definitely be a big year for them and set up a lot of successful seasons ahead."
Despite undergoing a regime change, Sarkisian's former school is still in the mix. Washington gives Martell two Pac-12 programs to consider.
"I really like [head coach Chris] Petersen and [offensive coordinator Jonathan] Smith. Also, their facilities are unreal," he said.
It's a potential landing spot that could lead to an earlier opportunity than elsewhere.
"The biggest reason Washington is one of my top schools is because there's a chance to play right away. I could go in there and maybe compete to play as a freshman," Martell said.
Texas A&M presents a stark contrast in terms of depth chart outlook.
Aggies head coach Kevin Sumlin signed 5-star quarterbacks Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray during the past two recruiting cycles. Both players appear capable of commanding snaps in the coming years.
"I love competition and that's exactly what there would be at Texas A&M if I joined those guys," Martell said. "I would get in there and compete, do everything I could to win the job. The best player will play no matter where you're at, so I can only control what I can do."
His most recent campus visit occurred in College Station earlier this month. Martell raved about time well spent at Texas A&M.
"The feeling I got there with the entire college atmosphere was pretty cool. That's one school where even if I wasn't going to play football in college, I would still be really interested in going there," he said.
Martell met with Sumlin and offensive coordinator Jake Spavital during the trip.
"Can you see it? #GigEm pic.twitter.com/70wezM3KQd
— Tate Martell™ (@TheTateMartell) July 18, 2015"
There's still a chance he spends his college career tormenting Texas A&M since Alabama also emerged as a finalist.
"I've talked with [Crimson Tide offensive coordinator] Lane Kiffin quite a bit. He's a really cool dude," Martell said.
His ultimate ambition is to play the sport professionally, and he believes Alabama is a proven commodity when it comes to helping athletes achieve that dream.
"Alabama puts a ton of guys in the league, but what really stands out is how long they stay in the league," Martell said. "I think it's because how they train and build up players. They call it 'Bama built,' and those guys know how to play ball when they get into the league."
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is a guy who knows plenty about the NFL after grooming Andrew Luck at Stanford and leading the San Francisco 49ers to three consecutive conference championship games.
"Coach Harbaugh is somebody pretty much every recruit would want to play for. He knows how to lead a team and how to put people in the NFL," Martell said.
Other programs began ardently pursuing him earlier in the process, but ignoring Michigan's recent push wasn't an option for Martell.
"Michigan is just Michigan. There's a lot of tradition and guys who have gone to the NFL, but hiring Harbaugh is what made it one of the top possibilities for me," he said.
Once a decision is behind him, Martell plans to make the most of a long road to national signing day in February 2017.
"The good thing about committing early is it gives you a chance to surround yourself with the guys you want. I'm going to love recruiting for the school I choose," he said.
Martell already laid groundwork with several premier contemporaries whom he could someday call teammates.
"I have a lot of good relationships with other top recruits. There probably isn't a top California player who I haven't talked to yet," he said.
His main target is easy to find.
Fellow 5-star Tyjon Lindsey is Martell's lead receiver at Bishop Gorman, and the pair previously played together at Poway High School. The quarterback anticipates a premier package deal that keeps them partnered in college.
"Obviously, I'll be pressuring Tyjon to pick the same school as me. I think he will," Martell said. "He wants to wait for a few more offers, which I think will come. He'll get any offer he wants. We'll see how things develop, but I think he'll end up joining me."
The duo connected for a team-high 15 touchdown completions last season. Martell, a starter since the second game last season, claimed Gatorade's Nevada Player of the Year honors after leading Bishop Gorman to its sixth straight state title.
He completed 62 percent of pass attempts for 2,537 yards and 40 touchdowns in 2014. He was intercepted just twice. Martell added 433 yards and five scores on the ground.
Immense expectations are in place for the upcoming 2015 campaign.
"I feel really good about where we're at as a team right now. Offensively, I think we're way ahead of where we were last year," Martell said. "Last year, I can honestly say I didn't know the offense too well, and we were just running basic stuff."
That basic stuff resulted in a record-setting Gaels offensive attack. Bishop Gorman averaged nearly 460 yards and 52 points per game.
Defenses be warned, Martell expects major improvements this fall.
"Now I fully understand the offense. I have the ability to check into literally anything on any play, depending on which formation I want," Martell said. "I can change our plan into something our opponent can't defend, based on defensive alignment and our reads. I'm at the point where we're running crossing stuff, full-field reads and more play action. I think we're going to move the ball a lot this season, and we're going to move it fast."
The highly anticipated Bishop Gorman title defense starts in just four weeks. Until then, the spotlight will shine on Martell's future and where he'll spend it.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
