Schools to Watch for After 5-Star QB Tate Martell Decommits from Texas A&M
One of the nation’s elite quarterbacks is back on the open market, after 5-star passer Tate Martell decommitted from Texas A&M on Wednesday evening.
"After talking with my family about
— Tate Martell (@TheTateMartell) May 5, 2016"
what is best for my future, I have
decided to reopen my recruiting
process.
The 5’10”, 203-pounder out of Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas had been committed to the Aggies since last August.
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As SB Nation’s Bud Elliott detailed, the majority of the top quarterbacks in the 2017 class are already committed—which means that Martell figures to be a hot commodity since he’s one of the few marquee prospects left at the game’s most important positions.
Martell, who rates as the nation’s top dual-threat quarterback and the nation’s No. 33 player overall, had already stated his intention to take all of his official visits last month, as noted by Taylor Hamm of GigEm247.
Which schools are ones to watch for Martell now that he has officially reopened his recruitment?
Let’s take a look at a few schools that have already laid the groundwork to be major players in his recruitment.
California
When Martell originally committed to Texas A&M, his relationship with then-offensive coordinator Jake Spavital was a critical factor that led him to jump into the Aggies class.
However, as Brian Perroni of 247Sports notes, Spavital has moved on to become the offensive coordinator at California.
The Golden Bears offered Martell back in February, shortly after Spavital’s arrival in Berkeley.
The next step for the Bears is getting Martell on campus. Considering the success the Bears enjoyed with former passer and 2016’s top overall NFL draft choice Jared Goff, the combination of a quarterback-friendly offense and familiarity with Spavital could be the perfect combination to help lure Martell to Berkeley.
Ohio State
One program that was already making a push for Martell was Big Ten powerhouse Ohio State.
Martell took a visit to Columbus in late March, and head coach Urban Meyer and his staff laid out the red carpet for him, as detailed by Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts.
"One Day... #PathToTheDraft 樂 pic.twitter.com/oD1O4CO75g
— Tate Martell (@TheTateMartell) April 28, 2016"
There are a couple of other factors working in the Buckeyes’ favor with Martell.
For starters, Meyer already holds a commitment from 4-star defensive tackle Haskell Garrett—who is a teammate of Martell’s at Bishop Gorman.
Additionally, as Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports noted, they are also trending for 5-star wide receiver Tyjon Lindsey—who is another former teammate of Martell’s and one of his closest friends.
While it’s unlikely Martell makes another quick decision, the Buckeyes have already built a strong foundation to pursue Martell in hopes of landing his pledge in the end.
Oregon
Similar to Texas A&M’s predicament of now searching for a quarterback, Oregon is searching for a quality passer after losing a pledge from 4-star signal-caller Ryan Kelley earlier in the week.
According to Justin Hopkins of DuckTerritory, Martell figures to be one of the main options that Ducks head coach Mark Helfrich and his staff turn to in hopes of filling that hole in their 2017 class.
"— Tate Martell (@TheTateMartell) May 4, 2016"
Considering that Martell has racked up more than 6,000 yards of total offense and scored 86 total touchdowns over the last two seasons, the Ducks spread uptempo offense appears to be a perfect fit for Martell’s skill set.
Getting him on campus in the coming months will be a priority for Helfrich and his staff.
USC
One of the first schools to offer Martell a scholarship back in September 2014 was Pac-12 power USC.
Also, the Trojans have yet to land a signal-caller in their 2017 class.
The Trojans are heavily in the mix with Lindsey, and that could play a role in Martell’s choice if he were to ultimately land at USC.
"Forever The #DynamicDuo https://t.co/p1l2SEvVov
— Tate Martell (@TheTateMartell) April 27, 2016"
Similar to the Buckeyes having Garrett already in the fold, the Trojans currently hold a pledge from Gorman 4-star safety Bubba Bolden.
However, there’s a lot of work to do for head coach Clay Helton and his staff in order to become a serious player for Martell moving forward.
Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
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