By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
@LonnPhillips
When junior wide receiver Josiah Martin joined Denton Guyer this off-season, after transferring from Lone Star High School, Texas's fastest rising 2024 receiving prospect elevated an already excellent offense towards an undefeated stratosphere.
Led by 5 star quarterback (2023 OU commit) Jackson Arnold and an impossible defensive fortress led by Caleb Darthard, Ryan Yaites (2023 LSU commit) plus brothers Peyton & Eli Bowen, Guyer are steamrolling through their Texas 6A schedule, well on their way to yet another deep postseason run.
Aiming for revenge after a pair of title game defeats to Austin Westlake in 2019 and during last year's championship round, Guyer are now equipped with enough offensive firepower to keep them in any contest...featuring Josiah Martin's playmaking as a headlining hallmark:
Scoring 40+ points in 8 of their 9 contests thus far, Jackson Arnold & co continue to command an offense which is currently matching Guyer's high octane defensive reputation.
Throughout the Wildcats' 9-0 run, many of 2022's biggest plays, largest gains and clutch scoring touches arrived at the hands of junior transfer receiver Josiah Martin.
Overlooked within 2024's recruiting class, underrated when it concerns Texas wide-outs or national rankings, Josiah Martin is ascending by the game, now ranked as Guyer's second leading receiver as he lands on the offer boards for many top programs across the country.
Simply put, if a top tier school hasn't heard of Martin yet, they will soon:
Hauling in 36 receptions for 565 yards, averaging 15.7 yards per catch resulting in 6 TDs (9 appearances), Josiah has gone from strength to strength, expertly showcasing his solid catch radius, superb hands, physicality off the line or in traffic, exceptional yards after catch capability and most of all, bullishly strong route running.
Naming Jerry Rice and current Steeler Diontae Johnson as two pass-catchers he studies, Martin is driven to succeed at Guyer, pushing himself each game for improvement....and in 2022, he's been finding top form alongside his 5 star quarterback.
Recently visiting LSU with current Guyer teammates Ryan Yaites and linebacker stalwart Caleb Darthard (among other top recruits from their undefeated squad), Martin has caught the attention of Tigers' WR Coach Cortez Hankton, making Baton Rouge a possible destination for the junior receiver:
As a longtime LSU Tigers fan, Josiah waxed lyrically about the purple and gold, calling the Tigers' 2018 squad "his favorite LSU team, because it was an important year before the championship season", even noting some next level specifics about the program's history that surpised me (considering his young age) and would no doubt win over a litany of Tiger faithful.
Without question we should see Josiah Martin pursued by top tier programs, now firmly cast as a rising star on the recruiting trail, as well as a definite difference maker for Guyer down the stretch this coming postseason.
But my interest came a lot earlier, a few weeks prior to Martin's starring role against Allen High School on ESPN2:
After taking the advice of his teammate Ryan Yaites, I had to get to know Guyer's elite receiving talent.
Following a series of talks with the junior wide out, I am a Josiah Martin believer.
Martin is a next level young man in every way, primed for success in whichever path he may choose.
Here is a few chunks from our continuing correspondence:
LONN: What was the first LSU team you remember watching??
JOSIAH: I think 2011 when (it was) Tyrann Mathieu's last year at LSU!! But my favorite team gotta be 2018 because that was the year leading to 2019 which was the greatest college football team ever!
LONN: That's kinda cool you said that! 2011 is one of my favorites too, I'm from the age group just older than you guys so that's cool you grew up with that team, too. 2018 was cool, that's intriguing you say that. We had that upset #2 UGA and then turned it on the last few games, Joey B became Joey B!!!
JOSIAH: That's when he went from Burrow to Burreaux! I think the least talked about player on that offense was Thaddeus Moss 🫣🫣
LONN: Josiah knows his LSU!!! Thad Moss was a huge part of that offense!
JOSIAH: I think my favorite moment on the national championship team... i think it was the third play of the game (vs Clemson) when Joey B was scrambling and he just chucked the ball down the field and Thaddeus moss just climbed up the ladder and snatched it out the air!!
That’s when I thought to myself “why no one is talking about this man?” especially him being the son of one of the greatest receivers to ever put on a pair of cleats!!
Everybody on the championship team is making big impacts on their teams right now.
LONN: Speaking of LSU, you recently visited for a game with your Guyer teammates, how was your time there???
JOSIAH: My visit at LSU was great!! As soon as I got there everybody treated me like family and I felt like I could call this place my home. That’s the type of love that was there!! And on top of that, the food was amazing😂
LONN: How is your recruitment going overall??
JOSIAH: My recruitment is going very well, man, I’m talking to a lot of schools. Tennessee and LSU being the favorites, but taking everything slow and enjoying the process while it lasts!!
LONN: When you transferred from Lone Star to Guyer, how was it adapting to the new school & team?
JOSIAH: The first few days everybody welcomed me and sort of got me acclimated after the first week. I was one of the guys, so I’m getting chewed out just like all the rest of them, so they definitely made me adjust to the way they do everything.
LONN: What about Jackson Arnold makes him the right leader for this team?
JOSIAH: Jackson doesn’t need to say much at all, you can feel his presence when he walks on that field, so we all know "ok we can follow this guy"!!
LONN: Your teammate Ryan Yaites (2023 LSU Commit) made sure to mention you and really introduced me to you, said "you gotta see this guy!" His father also sang and continues to sing your praises. What type of teammate and what kind of player is Ryan in your eyes???
JOSIAH: Ryan is one of those good spirited type of guys you always want to be around and he treats everybody the same in the locker room and outside of it, man. He’s a real standup guy and teammate.
LONN: What do you think about this team's vibe heading into the playoffs??
JOSIAH: We are definitely locked in we are more ready than what people have seen these past games. even though it’s been blowout after blowout we have found a away to lock in even deeper and we have tunnel vision right now headed into playoffs.
By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
@LonnPhillips
©️ Uninterrupted Writings Inc
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO:
Josiah & his family, Ryan Yaites & his family, Denton Guyer Football & Don Cannon, Tony, Nikki Skuffles, Louis & ADIESEL for their friendship!