Former Oregon State Running Back Damien Martinez Cracks Top-50 College Players For 2024
Oregon State's transfer portal losses following the 2023 season were a gut punch for many Beaver fans. ESPN made them sting just a touch more on Thursday with the release of their preseason ranking of the top-100 players in the sport.
Not only were no current Oregon State Beavers included in the list, recently departed running back Damien Martinez made the top 50 at #46 overall. Martinez joined the Miami Hurricanes this spring after two standout seasons in Corvallis.
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Martinez also made the same list prior to the 2023 season, then ranked at #92. The Texas native rushed for 1,185 yards in his final year as a Beaver, also accumulating nine touchdowns.
Martinez left a hole in the running back room that the Beavers will likely fill with carries from a multitude of players, including Jam Griffin, now on his second stint with the Beavers, Colorado transfer Anthony Hankerson, Jake Reichle, and likely more. Reichle is Oregon State's leading returning rusher with only four carries for 34 yards.
The Beavers play their first game of the season on August 31 when they host the Idaho State Bengals.
Joe Londergan joined the SI brand in 2023 with G5 Football Daily. With over 15 years of experience in covering and working directly in college and pro sports, Joe's expertise has been featured in Front Office Sports, SB Nation, and XRAY.FM. He is a member of both the Football Writers' Association of America and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association. Joe holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville and a master's degree in sports administration from Seattle University. Outside of his writing career, Joe enjoys golfing, although he admits that while he hits driver decently, his short game is a liability.