Looking at Salt Lake City Cottonwood High School stand-out Offensive Lineman, John Martinez, there is nothing not to like. Martinez is a 6′3″ 270-pound lineman that can play tackle, guard, or center, runs a 4.9 40-yard dash, and has tremendous strength to go along with his unique athleticism. His final four schools are USC, UCLA, LSU, and Ohio State. Looking at his attributes and success on the field it is easy to see why these top-notch schools are interested in Martinez, but unlike the Trojans, Bruins, and Tigers, the Buckeyes have not yet offered Martinez a scholarship, leaving Buckeye Nation with one question: What the staff is waiting for?

After reading this article on Scout.com, I am puzzled as to why this kid has not recieved an offer from Ohio State. Clearly he is a top talent in the nation as USC, UCLA, and LSU have been battling for his services, and schools like BYU, Auburn, and California have already been eliminated from the mix after pursuing the Salt Lake City product. The staff’s only explanation to Martinez is that he is caught in a numbers game, and they are waiting for responses from some of the players that they have offered already (see: Marcus Hall). What may be the most frustrating thing to me when looking at Martinez, is that in this article he tells Scout that he wants to be a Buckeye. He says OSU is his leader despite no scholly, and says he is even willing to wait until National Signing Day for the Bucks to make room for him. This kid wants to be a Buckeye so badly, something fans cannot say about Marcus Hall or other players with offers still on the table, and the staff continues to make him play the waiting game.

While I cannot criticize what the coaches have done in terms of recruiting the last few years, this move just does not seem right. Many players like Martinez have their choice of going anywhere in the nation, and we need to lock up the players who want to be part of the Scarlet and Gray. Please Jim Tressel, if you are reading this, reconsider what is important and bring John Martinez to Columbus. You won’t be disappointed.

photo courtesy of ESPN.com