Top PA prospect Quinton Martin looks back on Ball State visit
Penn State hosted one of Pennsylvania's top overall prospects Saturday in Belle Vernon Ath. Quinton Martin.
Listed at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, Martin’s recruitment is just now getting started, but the Class of 2024 prospect already holds six verbal scholarship offers, including the Nittany Lions, who made that decision back in April. With nearly three full years to go, he has plenty of time to figure things out, but it’s also clear that Martin is going to be a very important target for the Nittany Lions moving forward. He may be the top prospect in the state for his class.
“I had a couple talks with their coaches, including one with Terry Smith. He was just asking me how I’m doing, if I’m ready for the game," Martin said. "He said he thinks I’m a great player and that he really hoped to see me up there more in the future. We also talked about Friday’s game and how that went.
“I also had a good talk with Coach [James] Franklin. I talked to him during pregame out on the field, and that was probably one of the best experiences I’ve had yet. He asked how I was doing and then said, ‘you know you’re going to play here one day, right?’ I just said, 'we’ll see coach, we’ll see,’ and that was it. But it was a really great experience getting to go out on Penn State's field. Looking up at all those fans out there during pregame, that was amazing.”
This was not only Martin’s first game at Penn State, but his first trip ever to State College. As expected, seeing the atmosphere inside Beaver Stadium left a lasting impression.
“The atmosphere, of course, impressed me. Their fans are so supportive,” he said. “I also was impressed with how the players keep their calm in front of 100,000 people. Whether they do good or bad, they’re always very composed. They’re always so focused and locked in.”
Martin liked it so much that he actually plans to return to University Park this upcoming weekend for Saturday night’s White Out game against Auburn. The night prior, he and Belle Vernon will face West Mifflin, and if you’re looking to get a feel for what Martin brings, just check out his highlight film.
So far this season, he’s played at least five different positions for the Leopards, and at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, he could realistically play any of them at the next level.
“So, there’s a mix between all my offers. A lot of schools see me playing something different. Penn State honestly doesn’t know yet. They’ve mentioned running back, wide receiver, safety, corner, linebacker. It’s a variety of positions. Pitt likes me at running back, and I know Rutgers likes me at linebacker. But for the most part, the other schools are still up in the air about it still.”
With that said, as of now, Penn State would probably lean towards him being a running back, although watching his progression physically in the coming years will have a big impact. Martin said that watching a former Nittany Lion was a major reason why he wanted to try the position in the first place.
“When I think of Penn State, I think of Saquon Barkley,” Martin said. “He’s a beast running back with the Giants now who graduated three years ago. Barkley immediately comes to mind. He was amazing down there and he honestly inspired me to become a running back. Before I was a running back, I mainly played wide receiver, safety and corner. He’s the one that made me want to try running back. Definitely one of my favorite players.”
In addition to Penn State, Martin holds early scholarship offers from Maryland, Pitt, Rutgers, Virginia Tech, West Virginia. He visited Pitt back in June.
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