While in Pasadena for the Rose Bowl two weeks ago, Tate Martell told reporters he would be remaining at Ohio State and that he was 100 percent confident he would be the Buckeyes' starting quarterback should Dwayne Haskins turn pro.
In the time since, Haskins has declared for the NFL draft -- although it appears Martell has changed his mind.
According to Kyle Rowland of the Toledo Blade and Jeremy Birmingham of Letterman Row, Martell has entered the NCAA's transfer portal, which will allow him the ability to speak with other programs about a prospective transfer. Martell's decision comes less than a week after former 5-star quarterback Justin Fields transferred from Georgia to Ohio State, where he is expected to seek immediate eligibility.
A former 4-star prospect, Martell arrived in Columbus as the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback and No. 56 overall prospect in the 2017 class. After redshirting in 2017, Martell spent the past season backing up Haskins and occasionally playing when the Buckeyes were looking for a more mobile option at quarterback.
Appearing in six of Ohio State's 14 games, the 5-foot-11, 210-pound Martell completed 23 of his 28 pass attempts for 269 yards and 1 touchdown. He also rushed for 128 yards and 2 touchdowns on 22 attempts, as Haskins broke single-season Big Ten records for passing yards and touchdowns.
Although he could ultimately opt to remain in Columbus, he could once again face an uphill battle for playing time should he opt to do so. A former 5-star prospect and the No. 2 player in the 2018 class, Fields arrives at Ohio State as the highest ranked recruit in program history.