Xavier Martin is the Texas Tech Red Raiders’ prize commitment in their 2017 recruiting class. He is one of the top quarterbacks in the class and has legitimate superstar potential. Martin brings a dual-threat skill-set and has the ability to turn the Red Raiders’ offense into a must-watch show.
At 6-foot-0 and 180 pounds, Martin has seen his game compared to Russell Wilson. Many thought that Wilson was undersized to play at a superstar level, but he used that criticism as a motivating tool to become better than anyone thought he possibly could.
Last season at Byron P. Steele II High School in Texas, Martin showed off his all-around skill-set. He threw for 2,048 yards, 21 touchdowns and just three interceptions on the season. Martin also picked up 673 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.
Texas Tech has been searching for a big quarterback pickup and that is exactly what Martin will be.
Martin has the potential to be one of the best players coming out of the recruiting class, not just talking about the quarterback position. If he continues developing and reaches his full potential, the NFL could be in his future.
That being said, Martin took the time to sit down for an interview with our very own Evan Massey. We hope that you enjoy the interview and begin following Martin as he works to take the next step in his football career.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D82qOfHu8k4
Q. What made you commit to Texas Tech? What were some of the main deciding factors?
Martin: I committed because I wanted to stay close to home, but not too far from home and I already had a bunch of people I knew up there so I felt like it was safe for me. And they showed me that they had a lot of trust in me offering me before I had even started my starting season at QB.
Q. How would you describe your game to a fan who hasn’t seen much of you?
Martin: That I’m a quarterback that is athletic. Not an athlete that plays quarterback. I’m a pass first, run second type of dual-threat quarterback.
Q. What do you think the strongest and weakest aspects of your game are at this point?
Martin: My strongest aspect is my arm strength. I can throw 75 yards off one hitch up. My weakest would probably be staying the pocket, but that’s all I worked on in the spring. I didn’t scramble once, so that has gotten a lot better.
Q. What are your team and individual goals for you college career with the Red Raiders?
Martin: Just to keep winning and take it all in. I don’t really have any individual goals because with winning comes all of those things that most QB’s would want. Good statistics, touchdown to interception ratio. I can’t win without having those things be excellent.
Q. Where do you see yourself in four years?
Martin: Being the starting quarterback for the Texas Tech Red Raiders!
Q. How would you describe yourself away from the game of football?
Martin: Outgoing and nice. I do a lot of stuff for people when they ask me, but I’m also always the one with a bunch of friends. I don’t have many people that don’t like me because I try to be nice to everyone, even if they did me wrong.
Q. Is there a current NFL or D-1 quarterback that you would compare your game to, and why?
Martin: Russell Wilson, because he can kill people with his legs when he has to but he is a great passing quarterback as well.
Q. Who would you say helped you get to this point the most and when did you realize that you had D-1 talent?
Martin: My dad. He does everything for me, goes out of his way all the time, even when he really doesn’t need to. He truly does everything possible to make sure I’ll be successful and that I’m happy in life. And I didn’t really realize I don’t think, I feel like it just happened.
Q. What would you like to say to the Texas Tech fan base in closing?
Martin: Be ready for a championship team come 2017!
All stats are according to MaxPreps.com.
