Boston College Football Athlete Cameron Martinez Highlights Role of Physicality in Fall Camp
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At all levels of football in the 21st century, the role of the “athlete” position is becoming more commonly accepted.
Travis Hunter—a wide receiver/cornerback phenom and the reigning Heisman Trophy winner who was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the 2025 National Football League Draft—is the most prominent example of the transition in modern-day football towards accepting two-way players.
High school football players are taught to play both sides of the ball, offense and defense, and some make it to the college football or professional football ranks and continue to play both ways.
For the Boston College Eagles’ football program, safety and punt returner Cameron Martinez—who transferred to Chestnut Hill, Mass. from Ohio State last season—is one of those rare unicorns that has an array of skillsets in different aspects of the game.
“Yeah, I mean, I played high school quarterback,” Martinez told Boston College Eagles On SI. “It’s kind of all I knew, running the ball and things like that. Even [special teams] coach [Matt] Thurin, we kind of had a talk about returning and doing those things. Just any way I can contribute and help the team, I’m happy to do it.”
A former four-star prospect at Muskegon High School (Muskegon, Mich.), Martinez is going into his second graduate-student season as one of the longest-tenured college football players on the Eagles’ roster.
S/PR Cam Martinez on the defense:
— Graham Dietz (@graham_dietz) August 5, 2025
“I'll tell you what. It's been really physical. Coach O'Brien had to kind of calm us down a little bit, which is a lot different than last year. But it all starts with stopping the run. … you got to stop stop the run first.” pic.twitter.com/LRrDlfmp5p
In 2024, after playing his entire career with the Buckeyes before choosing to enroll at BC for a master’s program, Martinez suited up in 11 games, primarily at safety and with one start at nickelback.
Martinez totaled 28 tackles and three tackles for loss along with an interception, sack and fumble recovery. He only made four attempts as a punt returner last season, averaging five yards per return, but is staying ready for more opportunity on the special teams unit in 2025 if BC head coach Bill O’Brien asks that of him.
Martinez has played alongside and against NFL talent his entire career, including the likes of C.J. Stroud, Garrett Wilson, Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr. He is extremely high on the potential of the Eagles’ secondary this season, along with the team as a whole—even comparing it to the talent he faced in Columbus.
“I mean, it's crazy how young [it is], me being the older guy,” Martinez said. “[We] got a lot of talent. Me being at [Ohio] State in previous years, this is a secondary that's close to that as well.”
According to Martinez, the aggressive nature of fall training camp this year is a perfect example of how iron sharpens iron.
Martinez is not afraid of the fact that the offense and defense have jawed at one another in the five practices of fall camp so far, highlighting that the physicality of camp is new to the program this year.
“I'll tell you what, it's been really physical,” Martinez said. “Coach O'Brien had to kind of calm us down a little bit, which is a lot different than last year.”
Martinez thinks that the defense is fortunate to face two extremely-capable, high-ceiling signal callers in BC quarterbacks Dylan Lonergan and Grayson James.
O’Brien on the QBs:
— Graham Dietz (@graham_dietz) August 5, 2025
“Dylan's had two good days in a row. Look, Grayson's played well too. … Competition brings out the best in everybody. You know, it really does. And I think you see that. … the competition has really brought out the best of both those guys.” pic.twitter.com/KXtj8AIMGw
The quality of offense from the Eagles has been just as good as the looks he received during real games against the Eagles’ opponents in 2024.
“It’s challenging, talented groups,” Martinez said. “[But] I think we're getting really good looks every day from our team. You know, I think we got one of the best groups, [one of the best] offenses in the ACC as well.”
Graham Dietz is a 2025 graduate of Boston College and subsequently joined Boston College On SI. He previously served as an editor for The Heights, the independent student newspaper, from fall 2021, including as Sports Editor from 2022-23. Graham works for The Boston Globe as a sports correspondent, covering high school football, girls' basketball, and baseball. He was also a beat writer for the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod Baseball League in the summer of 2023.
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