Bishop Gorman quarterback Tate Martell (Photo: USA TODAY Sports,
Stephen R. Sylvanie)
Tate Martell is the nation’s premier quarterback recruit. He’s the five-star general who led Bishop Gorman to back-t0-back USA TODAY national titles, and his name is already virtually synonymous with winning thanks to his high school exploits alone. In August Martell committed to Texas A&M, backing away from a very early-career commitment to Washington. Now that he’s headed toward his final campaign, Martell is taking visits to A&M and other programs, with his latest trip earning plenty of attention in the recruiting world.
On Wednesday evening, Martell announced he was in Columbus ahead of an unofficial visit to Ohio State on Thursday. The QB’s tweet announcing his Ohio arrival earned immediate attention — and redistribution — from a pair of high profile current Ohio State pledges in the Class of 2017.
First Antjuan Simmons, the Ann Arbor-based linebacker and running back who burned Michigan fans by committing to Ohio State, made a plea to OSU fans to follow Martell and encourage him on his visit to the Horseshoe:
Shortly thereafter, Olentangy Liberty four-star safety Brendon White also called on Ohio State fans to follow Martell and support him during his visit.
These aren’t novel tactics, but that doesn’t mean they are ineffective. Whether an onslaught of attention and adoration from Ohio State fans on a random day out of season is enough to sway Martell away from College Station remains to be seen. If nothing else, it seems likely to get his attention. If nothing else, the constant outpouring of support for the Buckeyes has already made an impact on Martell: