Tag: Marlon Martinez

LSU center Charles Turner declares for 2024 NFL draft

LSU will lose the most experienced player on its offensive line.

LSU is set to return most of its production along the offensive line in 2024, but it will lose one starter as center [autotag]Charles Turner[/autotag] opted to enter the NFL draft instead of returning to Baton Rouge for his final season of eligibility.

The move doesn’t come as a surprise. Turner accepted an invite to the Senior Bowl last month, seemingly indicating he planned to turn pro. The sixth-year senior was a three-star recruit out of IMG Academy in Florida by way of Canton, Ohio, and he appeared in 40 games over his five seasons at LSU, starting all 25 over the last two seasons.

Turner’s backup, [autotag]Marlon Martinez[/autotag], entered the transfer portal following the conclusion of the 2023 season. That would likely open the door for [autotag]DJ Chester[/autotag] to compete for a starting role in 2024.

A former top-150 prospect in the 2023 class with a lot of versatility, Chester redshirted in 2023 after appearing in four games.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Former LSU offensive lineman commits to another SEC school

A former LSU offensive lineman has announced where he will be playing as a graduate transfer next fall.

A former LSU offensive lineman has announced where he will be playing as a graduate transfer next fall. [autotag]Marlon Martinez[/autotag] has decided to stay in the SEC and move a few hours north from Baton Rouge, Louisiana to Starkville, Mississippi.

Martinez is a 6-foot-5, 330-pound offensive lineman who has played in Baton Rouge for the last four years. He has appeared in 45 games making four starts over that span. Martinez is a guy who can play at any position on the offensive line and he saw a lot of playing time at center during the spring as [autotag]Charles Turner[/autotag] was out with an injury.

That versatility is why he has played in 12 games a year during his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons.

Martinez recently graduated from LSU with a degree in marketing and then decided to enter his name into the transfer portal as a graduate transfer. Martinez chose to leave LSU for Mississippi State next fall.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Backup LSU offensive lineman becomes 7th Tiger to enter transfer portal

LSU lost another depth piece to the transfer portal, this time along the offensive line.

LSU hasn’t seen a major loss in the transfer portal so far, but it did lose another depth piece on Friday, this time along the offensive line.

Backup offensive lineman [autotag]Marlon Martinez[/autotag] announced his decision to enter the portal as a graduate transfer and will play his fifth and final season of college football elsewhere.

A Swiss army knife in his four years with the Tigers, Martinez is capable of playing anywhere on the line and provided key depth. He appeared in 45 total games, starting four times. Three of those came at right guard in 2021, and one came at center last fall.

With [autotag]Charles Turner[/autotag] missing spring practice with an injury in 2023, Martinez took starting reps at center for most of the camp but was supplanted when Turner returned ahead of the season. Still, he appeared in all 12 games.

LSU had one of the best offensive lines in the country in 2023 as the unit was named a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, and while most of it is expected to remain intact in 2024, it will lose an important backup who is capable of starting in a bind in Martinez.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Brian Kelly addresses Charles Turner’s injury, depth at center

An injury to Charles Turner opened the door for true freshman DJ Chester to see some action.

LSU’s depth along the offensive line was put to the test in Saturday’s 49-39 win over Missouri.

Starting center [autotag]Charles Turner[/autotag] exited the game with what coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] called a hyperextended knee after the game as the team turned to another veteran in [autotag]Marlon Martinez[/autotag], who battled for the starting job in the offseason.

Martinez had some uncharacteristic struggles, which led the team to get true freshman DJ Chester’s feet wet. One of the top signees in LSU’s 2023 class, Kelly had high praise for Chester’s play.

“Knee, he had hyperextension of his knee, Kelly said. “We put Martinez in, and for some reason — he’s been really, really good — he had an off day today. He’ll bounce back. So we put DJ in, the true freshman. And he was unflappable. He went in there and didn’t seem to bother him. The moment was really big. And he handled himself really well.’

We’ll monitor Turner’s status throughout the week, but if he’s not able to go on Saturday, it could open the door for more opportunities for Chester.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 77 Marlon Martinez

We’ll be taking a look at a very versatile four-year offensive lineman in Marlon Martinez.

Going into the 2023 football season, LSU Wire will be looking at each player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Brian Kelly this season.

Here, we’ll be taking a look at a very versatile four-year offensive lineman in Marlon Martinez, who came from an elite high school program in St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Florida). He can play anywhere on the offensive line, which should aid in his quest for playing time.

Marlon Martinez Preseason Player Profile

Senior bowl director offers high praise for LSU offensive linemen

The Senior Bowl director offered high praise for a couple of LSU offensive linemen.

A couple of LSU linemen are drawing attention as the season nears.

The executive director of the Senior Bowl, Jim Nagy, offered high praise for [autotag]Charles Turner[/autotag] and [autotag]Miles Frazier[/autotag] in a Tweet earlier this week.

Nagy wrote center Turner “jumps off the tape with his twitch and excellent flexibility.”

He went on to highlight Turner’s quick feet and ability to recover.

On Frazier, Nagy said he fits the big gap-scheme prototype a team could target on day three.

Breakout freshmen like [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] and [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag] received most of the discussion on LSU’s OL last year, sometimes leaving the work of Turner and Frazier unnoticed. But LSU had a lot of success staying ahead of the chains last year in large part due to the inside run game.

Turner missed some of spring practice and is in a competition with [autotag]Marlon Martinez[/autotag] for the starting job, but with what Turner showed in 2022, he’s the favorite to win it.

Frazier was the only LSU lineman to play in every game last year. He has two more years of eligibility left.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1389]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

OL Kardell Thomas leaving LSU as a graduate transfer

Thomas appeared in 11 games with two starts in four seasons with the Tigers.

The Tigers are set to return four of five starters on the offensive line as things currently stand, but they’re set to lose quite a bit of depth.

That depth situation got even worse on Wednesday as junior offensive lineman [autotag]Kardell Thomas[/autotag] opted to enter the transfer portal as a graduate transfer. Thomas appeared in 11 games in four seasons with two starts, both of which came in 2021. He appeared in four games this fall.

Thomas is a former consensus top-100 recruit from University Lab High School in Baton Rouge and a five-star recruit per the 247Sports Composite, will have two remaining years of eligibility.

With Thomas gone, LSU will look to players like [autotag]Marlon Martinez[/autotag], as well as true freshmen [autotag]Zalance Heard[/autotag] and [autotag]DJ Chester[/autotag], as depth options for the 2023 season.

[mm-video type=video id=01gq36n19fh2wkq1s27s playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gq36n19fh2wkq1s27s/01gq36n19fh2wkq1s27s-6bad068601aaa7dc34b1c6884919056f.jpg]

[listicle id=63659]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Starting LSU offensive lineman enters 2023 NFL draft

Anthony Bradford will leave LSU with at least one starter on the OL to replace in 2023.

The Tigers will have at least one starter to replace on the offensive line next year as fourth-year player [autotag]Anthony Bradford[/autotag] has declared for the 2023 NFL draft, according to a post on his Instagram account.

Bradford appeared in 29 games during his time in Baton Rouge with 17 starts. The majority of those came in 2022 when he started 12 of 13 games, primarily at guard. The Muskegon, Michigan, native is a versatile player capable of seeing action at both guard and tackle, and his loss will certainly hurt LSU’s depth moving forward.

Still, this team is projected to return its other four starters on the offensive line, and [autotag]Garrett Dellinger[/autotag] seems like the clear choice to slide in. [autotag]Marlon Martinez[/autotag] and true freshman [autotag]DJ Chester[/autotag] are also players who could get looks there, in addition to right tackle [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag], who could potentially be moved.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CnFGjFdrW7D/?igshid=Zjc2ZTc4Nzk=

[mm-video type=video id=01gp1nzhzehhwwja5yn1 playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gp1nzhzehhwwja5yn1/01gp1nzhzehhwwja5yn1-381f7cadee381aa1714868f0715bfbe4.jpg]

[listicle id=63083]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Charles Turner could be the answer for LSU at center

LSU could be close to finding clarity at the center position.

Coming into the spring, one of the biggest questions for LSU was the center position.

[autotag]Liam Shanahan[/autotag] was serviceable the last couple years, but his play wasn’t anywhere near the level LSU had gotten at the position from guys like [autotag]Ethan Pocic[/autotag] and [autotag]Lloyd Cushenberry[/autotag].

On Saturday, reporters who watched practice noted that [autotag]Charles Turner[/autotag] was taking first-team reps at center. [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] had stated earlier in the spring that the position was wide open, and the staff would be trying out lots of names there. It now seems like Turner is in the driver’s seat.

Turner also took first-team reps at center last Saturday. In 2021, Turner played over 100 snaps on the offensive line, but just eight of them at center.

He came to LSU in 2019 as a three-star recruit and has seen time at guard and tackle since then. Former head coach [autotag]Ed Orgeron[/autotag] spoke highly of Turner early in the 2020 season.

Considering how important the position of center is to the chemistry of the offensive line, this could be something where Kelly and staff want to ride with Turner just for continuity’s sake.

247Sports’ scouting report of Turner as a recruit, written by Gabe Brooks, states that Turner projects as a center at the collegiate level. If Turner pans out, it could be the best play LSU has gotten at the position in since Cushenberry left following the title run.

Upon returning from injury, [autotag]Marlon Martinez[/autotag] is expected to compete with Turner for the job.

[mm-video type=video id=01fzekdvqrrx51vgcc30 playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fzekdvqrrx51vgcc30/01fzekdvqrrx51vgcc30-fd0161c30197ae94e56b057af28df91b.jpg]

[listicle id=50385]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

LSU football freshman profile: OL Marlon Martinez

Martinez has received high praise, and for good reason.

LSU freshman offensive lineman Marlon Martinez has been talked about a good bit over the course of the summer — and for good reason.

The former three-star recruit was ranked as the No. 20 offensive tackle in the country last season during his senior year of high school.

Coming from St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Martinez helped lead his team to an undefeated 14-0 record in 2019, culminating in a Florida High School state championship.

His 6-foot-4, 325-pound frame could help set him apart from other freshman offensive linemen competing for a role on the team. Fellow freshman Charles Turner is the likely starting center, but where could Martinez end up playing?

[lawrence-related id=9935]

With the depth LSU has at the position, the Tigers could use Martinez as either an interior or outside offensive lineman.

Ed Ingram and Chasen Hines have the offensive guard spots pretty much already on lock, but should offensive line coach James Cregg switch Martinez to the outside, there is plenty of room to use him in the outside line rotation in certain situations.

Martinez brings versatility to the table along with great hands off the snap and tremendous footwork.

If there was one freshman big man to stand out aside from Turner, Martinez could end up being that player.

Though the 2020 season is looking blurry at this point, Martinez will have more than enough time to be mentored by the veterans and coached by Cregg when and if the Tigers hit pads in fall camp in the near future.

[vertical-gallery id=9326]