Four-star cornerback high on the Tigers after Clemson visit

Martinez recently visited Clemson's campus.

by Jake Pierce - Recruiting Reporter - Fri Mar 26 08:01:03 GMT-04:00 2021

Apopka (FL) four-star cornerback Nikai Martinez released a top-12 in November, with Clemson included as one of his top schools. A recent trip to Clemson confirmed for Martinez that the Tigers will be a serious contender for his commitment.

Martinez is currently ranked as the No. 28 cornerback in the 2022 class and the No. 222 player overall according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

Martinez’s top schools include Clemson, Arkansas, Auburn, Cincinnati, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Mississippi State, Notre Dame, and Tennessee. At 5-11, 175-pounds, Martinez has the potential to line up at multiple positions in the Clemson secondary, and defensive backs coach Mike Reed loves the versatility that Martinez brings to the secondary.

“I think our relationship is good. Coach Reed was talking about how he likes my versatility and how I can play outside corner, field corner, and nickel. I’ve talked to coach (Brent) Venables and coach (Todd) Bates and they like how I can play inside and outside, so that’s an advantage for me,” Martinez told TigerNet.

Martinez recently made a trip to check out the Clemson campus and hung out with longtime friend, Tyler Davis.

“It was great. I went last week and I loved everything about it,” Martinez said. “The town, just everything was cool. I thought the graveyard was really cool. You don’t have to leave Clemson to have a good time. Bowling, movies, everything is there.”

Aside from his top list of schools, Martinez said that recent offers from Penn State and South Carolina have also caught his eye. Clemson is thought to be one of the top schools for Martinez at this time, and Clemson seems to check all the boxes for what he is looking for in a school.

“Really just stepping on campus and getting that feel to see if that’s where I can be at,” Martinez said of his main factors for choosing a school. “Just an overall good campus and committed to football. I’m looking at the different things that schools have for athlete recovery. At the end of the day, I just want to ball.”

Martinez’s ability to play multiple positions has schools intrigued, and he said that he is comfortable lining up at any spot in the secondary. What does Martinez feel are his strengths on the field? And what will a school get from Martinez?

“A dog,” Martinez said of what a school can expect from him. “A person who works every day, all day and commits to being a DB. I’m really committed to my craft at being a DB and I think that’s what sets me apart from others in my class. I feel my strengths are knowing the game of football and being able to read routes. I feel like man-to-man is a strength, too.”

Martinez said that his next step in his recruitment will more than likely be a commitment, although he is still unsure of when that commitment will come. Clemson and Notre Dame appear to be two schools that are in a great position with Martinez.