Two-sport standout has interest out west
Tight end Martellus Bennett (6-7, 242, 4.77) from Alief (Texas) Taylor is one of the nation’s best two-sport athletes. Not only is Bennett a standout on the gridiron, but he’s good enough in hoops to garner recruiting attention in that sport, too. This Texan is looking at western schools.
Bennett was selected first-team all-district, second-team all-area and first-team all-area underclassman for his football skills.
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On the hardwood, Bennett was first-team all-district and was his team’s MVP while logging playing time at the three, four and five.
Bennett averaged 16 points per game, eight rebounds, 2.4 steals and 2.1 blocks per game.
As a matter of fact, Bennett led his high school basketball team in every statistical category except assists.
UCLA, Stanford, Arizona, Rice, UTEP, SMU, Baylor, Texas A&M and Texas-Arlington are all very interested in Bennett’s basketball skills.
On the gridiron, Bennett had 98 pancake blocks for team that liked to run the football down the opposition’s throat. He still caught 12 passes for 134 yards.
One thing you have to love about Bennett is his outstanding work ethic. He catches roughly 300 passes a day.
“We have three quarterbacks,” Bennett said. “We have to use all three of them because their arms get tired. My good friend who is a linebacker on the team sometimes also has to throw the ball to me.”
“We are running seven-on-seven drills,” Bennett said. “I am working real hard on improving my routes.”
Bennett has offers from many of the country’s best football programs. UCLA, Arizona, Miami, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Texas, Texas A&M, Duke, Wisconsin, and LSU are a sampling of the schools that have offered him a scholie.
According to Bennett, he doesn’t have a favorite college at this time. But if he was to pick a top five those schools today they would be Arizona, Miami, Texas A&M, Texas and UCLA.
Texas just recently offered Bennett and the Horns immediately jumped into the top five.
Something to keep your mind on; Bennett was born in San Diego, Calif., but he says that won’t play a part in his decision.
“I’m going to play where I feel the most comfortable and where I’m needed, not wanted,” Bennett said. “I want to play for a program where I can come in and make a difference.”
Bennett intends to be a two-sport athlete in college and that consideration looks to be a difference maker in his recruitment.
“Being able to play both football and basketball will be a major impact on my decision,” Bennett said. “Texas A&M, Wisconsin, Arizona and UCLA have already told I could play both sports.”