Offensive Lineman Marlon Martinez Commits to LSU

With five-star offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. on campus, a mid-morning #HoldThatTiger from Ed Orgeron seemed to portend some huge news. Johnson may be a Buckeye for now, but the Tigers still landed some more beef for the offensive front in three-star prospect Marlon Martinez.

Martinez is a 6-4, 287-pound prospect out of Fort Lauderdale’s St. Thomas Aquinas. He’s a composite three-star prospect, but has drawn offers from Penn State, Auburn, Florida, Florida State and Georgia among others as either a tackle or a guard.

You can see right away that he’s a mauler, and a finisher, even in pass protection. I can see where he projects inside for some, as his feet look a little heavy. But he also anchors really well and doesn’t give ground. And I’m a big believer in the value of linemen who finish their blocks and take guys down when they have the chance. He’s also only 16, meaning there’s more physical development possible.

Martinez marks the 15th commitment for this class and the second true offensive lineman (CamRon Jackson may move over, but for now that’s not official). What also makes him important is he is teammates with four-star, top-10 offensive tackle prospect Marcus Dumervil, who may be a more realistic target for LSU than Johnson.

But the Tigers still have another big fish on campus this weekend for an official visit, and should have plenty of other prospects around in the coming weeks with camps starting soon. More big recruiting news should be on the horizon.