Oregon State transfer running back Damien Martinez cancels Kentucky visit
Oregon State Beavers transfer running back Damien Martinez has canceled his visit to the Kentucky Wildcats. He announced the decision on social media.
“I will not be at Kentucky 23/24…journey continues,” Martinez wrote.
Damien Martinez is one of the biggest names currently available in the Transfer Portal and he has taken several visits with another scheduled. That includes Arizona, Mississippi State, Tennessee, and Miami. His visit to Kentucky was scheduled for April 23rd and 24th, after the Arizona, Mississippi State, and Tennessee visits.
According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Martinez’s agent says that he will still take his visit to Miami that is scheduled for April 25th to the 27th. Those dates also haven’t changed.
Damien Martinez played high school football at Lewisville (Texas), where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 615 overall recruit in the 2022 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
In two seasons at Oregon State, Martinez played in 25 games and rushed for 2,167 yards while averaging 6.1 yards per carry. He also had 16 touchdowns on the ground.
The decision to leave Oregon State comes as the Pac-12 conference is seeing 10 teams leave for either the Big Ten, ACC, or the Big 12. The Beavers aren’t one of those teams. On top of that, head coach Jonathan Smith left Oregon State following the 2023 season to become the head coach of the Michigan State Spartans.
Despite all of that, Oregon State did seem to make an effort to keep Martinez, and he reportedly is leaving $400,000 in NIL money on the table to transfer.
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.
The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
Oregon State and the Transfer Portal
Given the program’s circumstances, with the Pac-12 breaking up and Jonathan Smith leaving the program, it’s not a surprise that the Oregon State Beavers have had an active offseason in the Transfer Portal.
Oregon State’s 2024 transfer class is currently 70th in the On3 College Football Team Transfer Portal Rankings. That includes 13 players leaving the program and 13 new players coming into the program, with Damien Martinez being one of the biggest names to leave, alongside quarterback DJ Uiagalelei. Every transfer from Oregon State who is committed to a new school is committed to a power conference school, including three going to Michigan State.
On the other side, the Beavers are bringing in 10 players from power conferences, including four who played in the Pac-12 last season.