Gorman quarterback Martell commits to Ohio State

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Sunday, June 12, 2016 | 8 p.m.

That didn’t take long.

Bishop Gorman High senior quarterback Tate Martell verbally committed today to Ohio State, picking the Buckeyes about one month after de-committing from Texas A & M. He took an unofficial recruiting visit this weekend at the Columbus, Ohio, school.

Martell, a five-star recruiting prospect who has quarterbacked Gorman to consecutive mythical national championships, picked the Buckeyes over a final five of Cal, Colorado, UCLA and USC.

He was the state Gatorade Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2014, passing for 2,537 yards and 40 touchdowns with just two interceptions. In 2015, he passed for 2,608 yards and 32 touchdowns.

Martell’s recruitment frequently made national news.

This was the third time he has verbally committed in the past five years, starting when he picked Washington as a 13-year-old. But, since verbal commitments are non-binding until a letter-of-intent is signed on national signing day, he was able to be recruited by other schools.

He de-committed from Washington in early 2015 and picked Texas A & M a few months later.

When he picked Washington as a middle-school student, some criticized the family for allowing him to make the decision at a young age. And when he de-committed from Texas A & M, an assistant coach took to social media with harsh words. Both times Martell made national headlines.

His recruiting, of course, isn’t finished. National signing day isn’t until February 2017, meaning he can — and likely will — still be recruited by other schools.

Martell isn’t the lone Gorman player from the 2017 graduation class to commit to Ohio State. Defensive lineman Haskell Garrett is also committed.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21