Gatorade® National Football Player Of The Year: Tate Martell

LAS VEGAS, Dec. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 32^nd year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company today announced Tate Martell of Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas, Nev.) as its 2016-17 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year. Martell was surprised with the news by former NFL running back and Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George.

Check out the surprise video here.

"Tate really deserves to be this year's Gatorade National Football Player of the Year because he embodies everything the award stands for," said George. "Not only has Tate excelled on the field, but he's also a stellar student and is a positive influence in the community. I'm excited to follow his career and watch all the things he will accomplish in the future."

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Tate as the nation's best high school football player. A national advisory panel comprised of sport-specific experts and sports journalists helped select Tate from nearly 1 million high school football players nationwide. Tate is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year award, to be presented at a special ceremony prior to The ESPY Awards in July.

A two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year winner, the 5-foot-11, 205-pound senior quarterback led the Gaels to a 15-0 record, the No. 1 ranking in the USA TODAY Super 25 and an eighth straight Division I state championship this past season. Martell completed 136-of-215 passes for 2,362 yards and 41 touchdowns with just one interception. He also rushed for 1,257 yards and 21 scores. A U.S. Army All-American and a finalist for the Maxwell Football Club's National High School Player of the Year award, he was 45-0 as a starter for the Gaels and concluded his prep career with 113 touchdown passes.

Martell has maintained a 3.32 GPA in the classroom. He has volunteered locally as a youth football coach and as a mentor to elementary-school students.

"Big game experience, toughness and a lightening quick release have helped elevate Tate Martell into one of the top prospects in the 2017 class," said Craig Haubert, Coordinator for ESPN Recruiting. "This ESPN300 dual-threat QB has shown big-play ability with the tools to hurt defenses with both his arm and legs. Despite his lack of ideal stature, he has proven to be resourceful as a passer, blending athleticism, mechanics and feel for the position to be productive from the pocket or to create second chances and keep plays alive. Martell has proven himself a competitive and talented player and has amassed a track record of wins that's impressive as any in this class."

Martell has verbally committed to play football on scholarship at the Ohio State University in the fall of 2017.

"Without question, Tate is deserving of recognition as the nation's best high school football player based on his statistics on the field and the impact his accomplishments have had on Bishop Gorman's success," said Gatorade Senior Vice President and General Manager Brett O'Brien. "But he is also a shining example to peers and aspiring young athletes of what a leader and a student-athlete should be. He represents everything we hope for in a Gatorade Player of the Year recipient."

As a part of Gatorade's cause marketing platform "Play it Forward," Martell also has the opportunity to award a $1,000 grant to a local or national youth sports organization of his choosing. He is also elegbile to win one of twelve $10,000 spotlight grants for his organization of choice, which will be announced throughout the year.  

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade high sports leadership team in partnership with the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

Former notable Gatorade National Players of the Year include:

• Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Peyton Manning
• 2015 NBA first overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns
• Three-time WNBA champion Maya Moore
• Four-time track & field gold medalist Allyson Felix
• Three-time beach volleyball gold medalist Kerri Walsh
• Three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw

For more information on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of former winners, and future announcement dates, visit the Gatorade Player of the Year Web site at http://www.gatorade.com/poy, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GatoradePOY or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Gatorade.

SOURCE The Gatorade Company

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