Penn State Football landed its biggest commitment of the 2024 cycle on Friday with the addition of 4-star athlete Quinton Martin.
This is a major pickup for the Nittany Lions for a number of reasons.
Before diving into that, let’s take a look at what led Martin to this decision.
Listed at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Martin hails from Belle Vernon, PA. He is a multi-sport star at Belle Vernon High School, as he also is a dominant force on the basketball court.
Rated as the No. 3 athlete in the country according to the 247 Sports Composite, Martin is also the top player in the state of Pennsylvania, automatically putting him at the top of the board for Penn State.
In addition to the Nittany Lions, Martin also holds offers from Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Tennessee, Texas and Texas A&M. Stiff competition, but Penn State had to feel good about its chances with the momentum it’s had with in-state recruiting lately.
Martin attended a Penn State Football game this past season, taking in the loss to Ohio State back in October. Despite the outcome, the Nittany Lions still seemed to be in a good spot with Martin as he returned to campus in March for a visit.
Holding off the competition, James Franklin and his staff were able to seal the deal with the elite prospect on Friday, a huge win for Penn State Football.
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Why Quinton Martin is Massive Get for Penn State Football
Takeaway No. 1: Position Versatility
Martin is one of the most dynamic athletes in this entire recruiting cycle.
He plays both sides of the ball in high school, being featured at running back, wide receiver, linebacker and defensive back. Already at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, he could realistically play any of these positions in college. A great comparison for Martin may be former Michigan standout Jabril Peppers.
Martin will likely head to college as a running back. As a junior this past season, he ran for 1,279 yards and 22 touchdowns. With Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen both likely moving on to the NFL after the 2024 season, having Martin there to replace them doesn’t sound too bad at all.
With that said, injuries could occur and Penn State might need Martin elsewhere in order to compete for a national championship in 2024. That versatility is what makes him so special.
The Nittany Lions have targeted recruits with some positional flexibility in recent cycles. 2022 signee Cristian Driver started his career as a defensive back, but will play wide receiver this upcoming season. New arrival Mathias Barnwell is listed at tight end, but he could realistically grow into an offensive lineman or defensive tackle down the road.
Taking elite athletes and figuring out their position later is not a bad recipe for success.
Well, Penn State Football now has one of the most elite athletes in this cycle in its class.
Takeaway No. 2: Dominate the State
Penn State Football struggled to recruit its own backyard for a while back in the 2019-2021 recruiting cycles, but that has changed in a big way.
In the 2022 cycle, the Nittany Lions landed the top player in the state in 5-star running back Nick Singleton. They also secured the signature of seven of the other top 14 recruits in the state in that class.
Penn State followed that up by signing the No. 1 player in PA in the 2023 class as well in 5-star OL Jven Williams. The Nittany Lions also signed five other top ten in-state recruits in this past recruiting cycle.
Now, with Martin on board, this is the third straight year Penn State Football has landed a commitment from the No. 1 player in the home state. The days of losing the likes of Julian Fleming and Nolan Rucci seem to be behind the program.
In addition to Martin, the Nittany Lions also have commitments from the No. 3 player in the state in Cooper Cousins, the No. 9 player in the state in Kenneth Woseley and the No. 10 player in the state in Anthony Speca.
Takeaway No. 3: Got to keep up
If Penn State Football wants to reach the College Football Playoff, it needs to keep up with Ohio State, Michigan and now USC.
These three programs are all bringing in elite talent at a high rate and the Nittany Lions cannot be left in the dust.
In the 2024 cycle, Michigan has the No. 3 class in the nation, while Ohio State is right behind at No. 4. USC is currently ranked No. 62, but the Trojans only have one commit so far.
Obviously, talent isn’t everything when it comes to winning on the field, but it sure helps. From the 2022 recruiting cycle to the 2025 cycle, Penn State Football has landed a commitment or signed 41 four or five star recruits.
That is quite impressive considering the 2024 and 2025 classes are not close to be being complete.
The Nittany Lions are recruiting at a clip that this program never has before, and it’s come at the perfect time with Ohio State staying elite, Michigan emerging and USC joining the conference soon.
James Franklin has done enough on the recruiting trail to get this program to where it wants to be.
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