Cal QB Commit Justyn Martin Reportedly Plans Trips to Ole Miss, UCLA
Cal quarterback commit Justyn Martin of Inglewood, Calif., reportedly will take official visits to Mississippi and UCLA in the coming weeks, which makes some people wonder whether he might change his commitment.
Probably not. Martin committed to Cal back in January, and has said all along that he planned to take official visits to other schools. And he told 247 Sports this week that his commitment to Cal is still solid and that he talks to Bears offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave regularly.
But regarding UCLA, Martin told 247 Sports, “I definitely have interest in them right now.”
Martin is rated the 12th-best quarterback in the class of 2022 by Sports Illustrated, and seems to be on the rise, so he is a precious commodity.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Martin’s continued recruitment is that Marshall Cherrington, who was Cal’s director of scouting strategy a year ago and had a significant role in getting Martin to commit to Cal, became USC’s lead recruiting strategist last January and is now talking to Martin about the Trojans program.
The Grove Report, which is SI’s website for Mississippi football, reported Martin’s intention to visit Ole Miss earlier today.
“I can’t wait to get out there and see the game atmosphere,” Martin said of his scheduled visit to Mississippi, according to 247 Sports. “I took an unofficial trip there over the summer and really liked it a lot."
He is intrigued by the atmosphere at SEC games.
“Yeah everyone I talk with says it’s a different game-day experience in the SEC,” Martin said, according to the 247 Sports story. “I heard it gets crazy out there and Ole Miss has an unbelievably passionate fan base so I’m expecting it to be wild.
“I like how they play and the offense as well. I’ve been watching them and Matt [Corral] is lighting it up. I got a chance to get to know Matt pretty well at the Steve Clarkson Retreat when he was there as a counselor and he’s a great guy so it’s cool seeing how well he’s doing.”
Martin attended the last two UCLA home games and plans an official visit to UCLA on Oct. 23, which is when the Bruins host Oregon.
“I’m excited and looking forward to it,” Martin told 247 Sports. “I’ll be going with a couple of my teammates that are committed to UCLA. I was there for the LSU game and that was wild.
“I talk with [UCLA quarterback coach Ryan] Gunderson more than any other coach. We talk about every other day and I like him a lot. He’s very honest and straight forward and tells it like it is and I like that.
“I like Chip Kelly too. I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable with the coaching staff and I know a lot of the guys on the team. I’m with TJ [UCLA commit Tomarion Harden] all the time and he’s constantly on me about going to UCLA with him so I definitely have interest in them right now.”
Martin said USC is staying in touch with him too.
"In the last week I heard from my guy Marshall Cherrington [director of recruiting strategy] at SC," Martin said, in the 247 Sports report. "I know Marshall really well, he was one of my lead recruiters when he was at Cal and a big reason why I committed there.
"He wants me to come out to a few games and visit so we'll see what happens. It's USC so you have to listen. At the same time, I know they have a pretty strong QB room with a lot of young quarterbacks so I'm not sure about the fit, but I'm definitely going to listen to USC."
Here is SI’s assessment of Martin
12. Justyn Martin
Vitals: 6'4", 210 pounds
School: Inglewood (Calif.) High School
Committed To: California
Martin is one of the more intriguing prospects in the country, and this ranking is more about outstanding raw talent and potential than it is about proven production to date. Martin is a one year starter, and that one year was incredibly short due to COVID-19. What Martin has, however, is tremendous raw tools that could allow him to far outplay this ranking.
If you’re someone who values prototypical quarterback size then you’ll love Martin. He’s listed at 6-4 and 201 pounds and he’s still on the thin side. He’ll continue to fill out and pack on even more mass to his frame. As he matures and gets stronger you’ll also see his arm get even stronger, which is something considering how well he already throws the football.
The ball explodes out of Martin’s hand and he can make every throw on the field. He easily attacks the more difficult parts of the field and he is a confident passer. Martin has long arms, which creates a longer throwing zone for him, and at times that creates inconsistency with his release point. With more coaching and refinement he’ll get more compact with his motion, which should help his accuracy. Martin also has to improve his decision making and timing, but the tools are special.
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Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53
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