Tate Martell Tweets Top 7: Which Team Is Best Fit for No. 1 Dual Threat QB?

Credit: Student Sports
Tate Martell, the nation's top-ranked dual-threat quarterback, announced his top seven schools via Twitter Tuesday afternoon. Of the seven, four are Pac-12 schools. The team to beat, however, is believed to be Ohio State.

A quick glance at the 2017 quarterback rankings tells a lot about how important Tate Martell ^[1]'s Tuesday-afternoon tweet really is.

Of the nation's top 15 dual-threat quarterbacks ^[2] in the 2017 class, only four are uncommitted. Martell, the 5-star athlete from revered Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, leads that dual-threat quarterback list. Of the top 20 pro-style quarterbacks ^[3] in the class, only one is uncommitted—4-star Jack Sears ^[4].

In short, supply and demand is not in the favor of colleges in need of an elite quarterback commit. Martell, a one-time Texas A&M commit, is considered among the cream of the crop.

So when Martell announced his top seven on Twitter Tuesday, it was a big deal for multiple reasons. Particularly when five of the seven schools are without a quarterback pledge.

My Official Top 7 (No Order)
---------------------------
•USC
•UCLA
•WEST VIRGINIA
•CAL
•OHIO STATE
•MIAMI
•COLORADO pic.twitter.com/NYclqJCwpo ^[5]
— Tate Martell (@TheTateMartell) May 31, 2016 ^[6]

As the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback, Martell can compete for a starting job immediately at any of the seven schools. But the big question is this: Which of the seven make the best fit for his style of play?

If he's looking to hone his skills as a dual-threat option, Ohio State would tough to argue against. Head coach Urban Meyer ^[7] shined with Cardale Jones, J.T. Barrett and Braxton Miller ^[8] at quarterback the last two years. All three quarterbacks were capable of beating teams with their arm and their feet.

Ohio State is the school many are predicting Martell^[9] will choose, and if that happens, he could be dangerous in that offense. He told 247Sports' Bill Kurelic ^[10] that Ohio State "reminds me of everything at Gorman." He also has family in the state of Ohio. Several members of his family are very familiar ^[11] with Ohio State; his father and grandfather both were Buckeyes.

"Everything is run professionally. It's a similar environment; it would be an easy transition," Martell told Kurelic. "Cardale Jones was like 11-0 as a starter, and now he's off to the NFL. It's crazy to start such few games and now he's playing in the NFL."

Here's the caveat: Ohio State already has a quarterback pledge in 4-star Danny Clark ^[12]. Miami, additionally, has two quarterback commits in 4-star N'Kosi Perry ^[13] and 3-star Cade Weldon ^[14]. Martell has said on multiple occasions that he isn't afraid of competition.

Credit: 247Sports.com

If Martell is looking to stay closer to home, Cal would be an interesting move that would make sense. For starters, when he committed to Texas A&M last summer ^[15], he said he was a fan of the campus, and playing under offensive coordinator Jake Spavital was huge in his decision.

When Spavital and Texas A&M parted ways ^[16] in January, and when Spavital was announced as the offensive coordinator at Cal ^[17] in February, Martell took notice.

Where will 5-star QB Tate Martell sign?

With Cal seeing Jared Goff drafted as the No. 1 overall pick ^[18] in this year's NFL draft, the idea of playing in head coach Sonny Dykes' system would be attractive to any young quarterback. Cal's depth chart ^[19] favors Martell, as well, as he would compete against a handful of young signal-cal lers.

Those in southern California are hoping Martell heads to Los Angeles. Martell has roots in the San Diego area, and playing for either USC or UCLA would mean Martell gets a chance to live his college football dreams in his home state.

"Playing for USC, it's a cool thing for guys in California," Martell told Kurelic. Watching Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart...that's what we remember. That's like the guys we looked up to when we were younger.

"UCLA would be a good situation, playing wise. I could come in and sit for a year and play once Josh Rosen heads to the NFL. ... You can't complain if you have to sit behind someone [who] will be a first-round pick."

As a junior, Martell threw for 2,608 yards and 32 touchdowns and also rushed for 604 yards and nine touchdowns, per MaxPreps ^[20]. He threw for 2,537 yards and 40 touchdowns and rushed for 433 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore ^[21].

Four Pac-12 schools are hoping to win over the coveted 2017 quarterback, but don't be surprised if Meyer is celebrating the commitment—and, ultimately, the signing—of the nation's top-ranked dual-threat quarterback.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles ^[22]^[23]