SI Ranks Cal Commit Justyn Martin the 12th-Best QB Prospect in 2022
Cal football fans' expectations may have risen a notch after Sports Illustrated rated a quarterback who has committed to Cal for 2022 among the nation's best.
Sports Illustrated is gradually releasing its top-25 quarterback prospects in the class of 2022, and on Wednesday it released those ranked between 11th and 15th.
Ranked No. 12 is Justyn Martin, an Inglewood, Calif., resident who committed to Cal in January. There was some concern when Martin took official visits to Mississippi, Michigan State and Michigan in June after committing to Cal, but he subsequently took his official visit to Cal last month and still seems solidly committed to the Golden Bears.
The SI assessment of Martin has two takeaway lines that will linger in Cal fans' minds:
--"Martin is one of the more intriguing prospects in the country."
-- "The ball explodes out of Martin’s hand and he can make every throw on the field."
Perhaps as impressive as Martin's football skills is that he reportedly is a straight-A student who has taken advanced-placement courses.
Here is what SI said about 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.
Martin is one of two quarterbacks ranked between 11th and 25th who committed to a Pac-12 school. The other is Devin Brown, ranked No. 16 by SI, who committed to USC. SI has not yet announced its rankings of the top 10 quarterback prospects in the class of 2022.
An interview with Martin last month:
Chase Garbers is entering his fourth season as Cal starting quarterback in 2021. Since the 2020 season did not count against players' college eligibility, he would be eligible to return to Cal for the 2022 season. But he graduated from Cal this past spring and might choose to enter the 2022 NFL draft if he has a productive 2021 season. He looks to improve on his four-game 2020 performance after a promising 2019 season.
Cal also brings in quarterback Kai Millner as a true freshman in 2021. Millner, who gained social media fame for his blind, over-the-shoulder pass on a two-point conversion, will compete for the backup quarterback role with Zach Johnson and grad transfer Ryan Glover. Millner might redshirt in 2021 if he does not become the No. 2 quarterback this year.
Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave will be responsible for molding one or all of the quarterbacks into top-notch Pac-12 signal-callers.
Here is what Martin did at the Rose Bowl this past spring:
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