Racking up the recognition: Central’s Jared Martin enters junior season as one of California’s highest football recruits

Martin enters the 2023 season with 12 Division-I offers on the table

EL CENTRO, Calif., (KYMA, KECY) - A known reality across the Imperial Valley is that recognition comes few and far between when it comes to athletic talent - reasonable or not, the desert southwest tends to get overlooked on many platforms.

But in some cases, a diamond in the rough can shine to the surface. For Central’s Jared Martin, all eyes are now on him entering his junior season as one of the most sought after high school football athletes.

Upon entering just his junior season on the gridiron, a vast wave of attention has arrived to the 6'3" 220 lb. kid out of El Centro. Yet, with the long line of sports woven into the fabric of his own family, this moment actually did not come as a shock.

"Not to say it wasn't a surprise but it was kind of more of a when, Like, it wasn't an if, it was more of a when I was going to get this attention," said Martin. "We've always known that high school isn't the finish line. It's always been beyond that."

As a three-sport athlete, Jared has excelled in every way - shining on the basketball court and baseball diamond when he's not wreaking havoc on the football field. His physical presence after just two short years playing varsity sports has quickly opened doors to an athletic future beyond El Centro.

Jared getting the opportunity to live out his dream on the grounds he grew up on.

"Growing up, I was the little kid in the back over behind the bleachers and over in the field playing and watching these guys play," said Martin. "Now it's my turn and there's nothing like playing on this field on a Friday night. Playing at Central, playing at Cal Jones Field, it’s just like when you play here it’s something special."

He is not only living out his dream of playing on that field, but he is making an impact. After just beginning his football career two years ago as a freshman, Martin has made a presence coming off the edge - accounting for 71 tackles, 20 tackles for a loss and 19 sacks.

Martin also doing it by wearing No. 22 - a legacy number passed down through the Martin family lineage. 

And with the presence he has created, it has stirred up recognition - all the way to the likes of 12 Division-I football programs. Martin enters the 2023 season as a hot commodity on many national recruitment pages.

As of March, Martin was ranked No. 10 for On3-Elite’s list of top football recruits in the entire state of California. Next to that, Martin ranked as No. 19 on 247Sports and 16 on ESPN for the state of California.

"It's a dream come true. Ever since I was a little kid, my older brother was telling me like 'dude, you have everything it takes to play at the next level and even more,'" added Martin. "For me to be able to actually live it and I mean there's not a lot of people who have been in my shoes before, especially from the Valley. Even just being from here, knowing that I didn't leave or that I didn't go chase it, that it kind of came to me, it's kind of like a really special thing to me and my family."

In the meantime, Jared is grateful that he is being given the opportunity to shine on the field and make a name for the Imperial Valley.

"The game of football, it saves a lot of people. Like, it's done a lot of things for a lot of people and it's definitely doing a lot of things and is going to do a lot of things for my family and just for my future," said Martin. "I'm glad that I get the opportunity to put El Centro on the map a little bit, kind of like Royce Freeman did when he was growing up. It's a real blessing, I'm real honored and real humbled to just be able to be a part of something that's bigger than me."

Martin and the Spartans kick off the 2023 season in a trip to Sante Fe Christian on August 18th.