Justyn Martin transferred to Ohio State because he believes Ohio State can help him achieve his goal of playing in the NFL.
No, Martin won’t be Ohio State’s starting quarterback in 2026. That job, of course, belongs to returning Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin. But although he’s already been in college for four years, Martin expects to have two more years of collegiate eligibility because he suffered a season-ending injury during Maryland’s season opener last year, making him eligible to apply for a medical hardship waiver.
Expecting that Sayin will enter the 2027 NFL draft after next season, Martin couldn’t pass up the opportunity to compete for Ohio State’s starting quarterback job in 2027, even if it means waiting his turn on the bench in 2026. In the meantime, Martin is excited about how he will develop under the coaching of Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and quarterbacks coach Billy Fessler.
“I was really sold on them being able to develop me into the quarterback that I want to be,” Martin told Eleven Warriors about his decision to become a Buckeye. “I know if I'm able to get coached by the best coaches in the country, especially when dealing with quarterbacks, I could really go as far as I want with football.”
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Each of Ohio State’s last five starting quarterbacks have gone on to be selected in the NFL draft, including three first-round picks in C.J. Stroud, Justin Fields and Dwayne Haskins. Ohio State’s proven history of developing NFL quarterbacks was a “large factor” in Martin’s decision, he said, because he hopes to follow in their footsteps.
“They produce great quarterbacks, and I want to be one of the next ones that comes to Ohio State and do great things,” Martin said. “Just seeing the track record was great, and I want to follow suit.”
Martin has known Fessler since 2024, when UCLA hired Fessler as its quarterbacks coach. Fessler’s time on staff ended up being short-lived, as he followed Chip Kelly to Ohio State after Kelly, UCLA’s head coach at the time, left to become Ohio State’s offensive coordinator. But Martin was impressed with how well Fessler handled that transition, in which Fessler helped Will Howard become a national championship quarterback as Ohio State’s assistant quarterbacks coach in 2024 before guiding Sayin to become a Heisman finalist in his first season as Ohio State’s primary quarterbacks coach last year.
“Really seeing his resilience of coming to UCLA, coming to be the quarterback coach and then having to basically shift his entire life and come over to Ohio State and still never wavering, I find those are traits of a good coach,” Martin said of Fessler. “His ability to coach all the guys prior and really allow their games to be elevated was something big for me.”
Martin knows a thing or two about resiliency. A four-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class, Martin hasn’t had the college career he thought he would have so far. After starting just one game in three years at UCLA, he was sidelined for the season before throwing a single pass as Maryland’s No. 2 quarterback last year. But Martin hasn’t given up on chasing his NFL dream, believing the adversity he’s faced over the last four years has helped him grow as both a quarterback and a person.
“My college journey definitely wasn't what I expected it to be. Just with injuries and having to sit behind future NFL quarterbacks and everything, it wasn't what I expected it to be,” Martin said. “But I do feel like all the experiences that I went through prepared me for life. Because life never gets easier. And with the things I want to do, the profession I want to be in and the position I want to play, I think it's the hardest position in sports, so I don't think you can do this without tough skin and a little bit of adversity behind you. So I'm definitely grateful for the times that I've had in college, and I still have a long way to go.”
“I know if I'm able to get coached by the best coaches in the country, especially when dealing with quarterbacks, I could really go as far as I want with football.”– Justyn Martin on his decision to transfer to Ohio State
Martin, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound quarterback who completed 24 of 35 passing attempts for 179 yards and one touchdown for UCLA in 2024, believes the experience he’s gained from playing at two other Big Ten schools has prepared him well for playing at Ohio State.
“I've seen these teams (that Ohio State will play) a bunch of times, so I bring that experience to the room. And I've learned plenty of offenses in the past, so learning this one and just being able to grasp the situation will be something that I bring to the room,” Martin said. “And I'm excited to work with all the guys and be around a great group of quarterbacks and really just soak everything in.”
Where exactly Martin will fit in on Ohio State’s 2026 depth chart is to be determined. Redshirt freshman Tavien St. Clair was a five-star prospect in the 2025 class, so he’ll get his shot to establish himself as Ohio State’s No. 2 quarterback this offseason – and to be the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback next season – after sitting third behind Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz last year. Ohio State also has an incoming freshman quarterback in Luke Fahey.
That said, Martin is looking forward to the challenge of competing with Ohio State’s other quarterbacks. He’s approached every practice of his college career as an opportunity to prove himself and set himself up for the future, and his approach at OSU will be no different.
“I feel like every day of college has been an audition for something. And you never know what can happen,” Martin said. “So I just plan on coming in and giving it my all every single day and letting the chips fall where they fall.”
Martin is also ready to embrace his role as a veteran mentor in the quarterback room, though his goal is to earn the chance to play significant snaps of his own.
“Whatever role I come in, I'm going to do my best every single day,” Martin said. “Obviously, I want to play, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes, so it's exciting to have that opportunity.”
Off the field, Martin is eager to involve himself in the Columbus community, both in terms of pursuing future career opportunities – he wants to be a sports broadcaster after his playing career is over – and practicing his faith.
“I do want to see what the city has to offer as far as internships and getting really inclined with the city, but I also want to get acclimated with a church and do things with the church, because religion, that’s the most important thing to me,” Martin said. “So getting involved in that aspect is big for me, and I definitely want to do a lot of things outside of football in Columbus.”
Martin didn’t expect to land an opportunity to play for Ohio State when he entered the transfer portal. While he received what he described as “slight interest” from Ohio State as a high school recruit, he didn’t receive an offer from the Buckeyes back then, with Ohio State ultimately taking Devin Brown as its quarterback in his recruiting class. But he’s thrilled to have the chance to be a Buckeye now.
“Honestly, this is surreal when you think about it,” Martin said of becoming a Buckeye. “I'm just thankful that they gave me an opportunity to be a part of the team. I can't thank them enough, and I'm really appreciative.”
