Senior Bowl Executive Director has Miami on short list of best portal schools

Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy posted to X on Wednesday morning "There's a short list of schools who did best in portal this offseason and @CanesFootball is in that conversation (and) One huge get for @coach_cristobal was Oregon State RB Damien Martinez."

Martinez is the second highest ranked 2024 transfer to Miami behind Washington State quarterback Cam Ward. The 247Sports Composite rankings have Martinez as the second-best overall transfer and second among RBs in the portal. Martinez was a two-time Pac-12 first-team RB with two years of eligibility remaining.

Martinez had 2,167 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns with 15 receptions for 187 yards in two seasons at Oregon State. In two seasons at Oregon State, Martinez was a semifinalist for multiple national awards and was named the 2021 Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year.

Nagy did not provide any information about what other teams might be on his short list of who else did well in the portal this off-season. Miami has the 10th-best transfer class per the 247Sports composite rankings. The Hurricanes received a huge boost to its 2024 transfer class this spring including Martinez.

"There's a short list of schools who did best in portal this offseason and @CanesFootball
is in that conversation.

One huge get for @coach_cristobal was Oregon State RB Damien Martinez.

@damienfor6 is a big, physical one-cut runner with smaller-man feet who likes to square & drop his pads on people when he gets in space.

He's equally effective on straight downhill power or wide stretch runs and he has knack for taking advantage of cutback opportunities--this guy really sees it well!

One thing that stuck out over course of tape study was that Martinez is the same player every game so Miami fans will know what to expect from him on a weekly basis.

This will be a big prove-it year on sub-downs for Martinez in the eyes of NFL scouts, both as receiver and in pass pro.

Martinez is easily the most talented Canes back since Gus Johnson and should be highest drafted since Duke Johnson went in third round in 2015.
"

- Senior Bowl Executive Director Jim Nagy

Martinez finished 19th nationally averaging 98.75 rushing yards per game. At 6'0 and 237 pounds, Martinez brings physicality and size to the Miami backfield. Martinez had six 100-yards games, seven of 90 yards or more, nine of 80 yards or more and 10 or 60 or more. Martinez failed to reach 60 rushing yards only once in 2023.

Martinez is eligible for the 2025 NFL Draft but as previously mentioned has two seasons of eligibility remaining. If Martinez produces in 2024 like he did during his two seasons at Oregon State he would be expected to enter the 2024 NFL Draft. The NFL Mock Draft Database currently projects Martinez as the 102nd-ranked 2025 NFL prospect.

Ward is the highest-ranked 2025 Miami NFL Prospect at 57th per the NFL Mock Draft Database. A lot will change with 10 months remaining until the 2025 NFL Draft. How well Martinez and Ward perform during the 2024 season will have a big impact on where they are potentially drafted in 2025.

Martinez would significantly improve his NFL Draft stock by elevating his receiving production. In what is projected to be a balanced 2024 Miami offense, Martinez should become more involved as a receiver than he was at Oregon State. If Martinez becomes a good receiver he would help Miami in 2024 and his future.