Five-star QB Tate Martell is back on the open market following his decommitment from Texas A&M late Wednesday night. Martell announced his decision on Twitter.
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.
It wasn't a massive surprise, given that Martell was going on visits to other schools. But with many of the other top QB prospects already committed, Martell now becomes the top QB target for many schools. The five-star recruit is undersized at just 5-foot-11 and 203-pounds, but he's talented dual-threat. He's the No. 33 overall recruit, the top dual-threat and the No. 1 player from the state of Nevada. There's a reason some many schools have offers out to Martell. But which school has the best shot at signing Martell? Here are 5 college football teams that could land Tate Martell.
5. Texas A&M Aggies
Martell might not be committed to the Aggies anymore, but they could still end up signing him. However, it might be a long-shot right now. The offensive coordinator that helped convince him to commit to A&M in the first place is gone (more on that below). The Twitter rant from one Texas A&M coach likely won't help things and neither will the response Martell has received on Twitter. The Aggies might have lost yet another high-profile QB.
4. Cal Golden Bears
No, seriously. The Golden Bears aren't a college football powerhouse, but don't count them out in the race to land Martell. They have a need at QB with Jared Goff off to the NFL and they have former Texas A&M OC Jake Spavital as their OC. The Golden Bears offered Martell not long after Spavital took over. It's a bit of a long-shot, but don't count out Cal.
3. USC Trojans
The Trojans aren't a major player for Martell at the moment, but that could very well change. They were one of the first schools to offer Martell in 2014 and now that they have some coaching stability, Martell could take a closer. Working in USC's favor is that they already have a commitment from four-star safety Bubba Bolden, one of Martell's high school teammates. They are also in the mix for five-star WR Tyjon Lindsey, one of Martell's teammates and close friend.
2. Oregon Ducks
The Ducks lost four-star QB Ryan Kelley, so they need a new QB. They have a shot at both Lindsey and Martell. There's no doubt that Martell would be a great fit in Oregon's offense, but landing him is another matter. Don't be surprised when Oregon makes a big push to try and land Martell.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
Of any college football team, the Buckeyes are without a doubt the new favorite to sign Martell. They were already making a push for Martell. He visited Ohio State and had sent out several tweets about Ohio State. The Buckeyes are going after him hard, and already have one of his teammates committed. They're also the front-runner to land Lindsey. Martell will likely take his time before making another commitment, but Ohio State is in great position.