After delay, Cameron Martinez says he'll sign with Ohio State
The final Ohio State commitment for its 2020 recruiting class announced Tuesday that he would remain in the fold.
Cameron Martinez, known primarily as a quarterback in high school but expected to be a defensive back in college, said he will sign with Ohio State.
National signing day is Wednesday, though that traditional February day now pales in importance to the early signing day in December.
“I will be signing and honoring my commitment to be a Buckeye, a lifelong dream of mine!!!” Martinez wrote on Twitter. “I couldn’t be more excited and thankful to Coach Day and the rest of the Coaching staff!!!”
I will be signing and honoring my commitment to be a Buckeye, a lifelong dream of mine!!! I couldn’t be more excited and thankful to Coach Day and the rest of the Coaching staff!!! #GoBucks
— Cameron Martinez (@CM240) January 28, 2020
Martinez, a four-star prospect from Muskegon, Michigan, committed in July. But when defensive co-coordinator Jeff Hafley, his lead recruiter and likely position coach, was hired as Boston College’s coach, Martinez decided not to sign with the Buckeyes in December to make sure he was comfortable with Hafley’s replacement.
“That’s pretty much what it came down to,” Martinez told The Dispatch.
Ohio State lured back Kerry Coombs as defensive coordinator, and Coombs quickly visited Martinez in Michigan.
Wait for it...wait for it...wait for it... BM#manicantbelievehowgooditfeelstobedoingthatagain!#onlythebeginning!#rememberitsnotagooddaybutagreatday! #GoBucks! pic.twitter.com/nhYQTvQnHV
— Kerry Coombs (@DB_CoachCoombs) January 28, 2020
“We spent the whole day together pretty much,” Martinez said. “He was at my school the whole day and then came to my house. We hit it off.
“He’s a lot like coach Hafley as far as being outgoing and a real good person. You can tell he’s a really good coach because of the track record he has. He was at Ohio State before and then went to the Tennessee Titans, and that’s the kind of guy I want developing me.”
Martinez, who’s listed as 5 feet 11 and 183 pounds, is the No. 325 prospect nationally in the 247Sports composite rankings.
He ran for 2,228 and 36 touchdowns this year and threw for 1,258 yards and 11 scores in leading Muskegon to the state finals. He was named Michigan’s Player of the Year his final two seasons.
Martinez played strictly quarterback his final two seasons of high school but said he’ll begin his Ohio State career as a nickel cornerback. With Shaun Wade moving to the outside cornerback spot, that job is up for grabs. Martinez said he’ll do everything he can to compete for it.
He said he also will compete for kick-return duties.
Martinez will be the 25th player in the Buckeyes’ recruiting class and likely the final one. Day indicated last week that he didn’t believe Ohio State had room on its 85-scholarship roster for anyone else to sign.
Martinez said he plans to major in psychology. He has a 3.7 GPA and posted a 4.1 last semester.
Announcing the decision now has lifted a weight off his shoulder, Martinez said.
“Ohio State and the coaching staff didn’t put pressure on me,” he said. “It all worked out the way it was supposed to.”
brabinowitz@dispatch.com
@brdispatch