by Jared Jensen
The Paducah Sun
May 29, 2024
Used with permission.
Before Martels Carter Jr. moved to Paducah and joined the Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornado football team, the incoming junior had a plethora of colleges wanting him to play for them. After just one short year with the Blue Tornado, the offers continued rolling in as the 4-star recruit put up strong numbers on the field.
With an official commitment to play for the University of Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday, a staggering 48 other schools hopes of Carter joining their squads were squashed.
Kentucky was one of the first to offer Carter a spot and with his location a little more accessible to the UK coaching staff, their eyes stayed locked on him.
“Kentucky was one of my first offers,” Carter said. “They were talking to me before I came to Tilghman and they continued to come to my games and meet me and my family throughout the season.”
With 49 total offers on the table, the rising Tilghman senior has proven he can do it all. He’s a consensus 4-star prospect, and ranked as a top-20 safety in the country.
Carter is the No. 1 ranked player in Kentucky, coming off one season at Tilghman where he recorded 19 touchdowns and had three interceptions. He also tallied 214 rushing yards and three TD’s on the ground with the rest coming in the air with 1,066 yards in the air.
And, with his short time in western Kentucky, Carter feels he’s been that much more prepared for the next level with his fellow teammates and under head coach Sean Thompson.
“With Coach Thompson and the incredible coach that he is, I feel like I’m constantly getting better,” Carter said. “Going against him everyday mentally with the routes he gives us, he’s definitely getting me ready for the next level. He makes me compete every day and it’s always something new to build better habits.”
With his commitment now behind him, the Tilghman star is ready to do what the Blue Tornado came up short of doing last season; winning a Class 4A State Championship.
Photo credit: Ashley Goode