UCLA lands two players on The Athletic’s ‘Freak’ list

Bruce Feldman annually gives us one of the nation’s most anticipated college football articles. It comes right at a time when the nation is soaking in preseason award watch lists. Choking down ill-fated decisions of All-Conference teams from entities across the country.

It comes when summer camp ends and fall camps are expected to start within a few weeks. It gives us a glimpse of some of the most talented college football players on and off the field from around the nation. It even showcases some lesser-known attributes about even the most covered athletes and even some of the local athletes you may not know about.

It comes this year during the height of a summer surge of the coronavirus pandemic. It comes at a time that we didn’t know we needed it so much. And it comes at a time that I fully expect everyone to read every damn word of it.

It’s right here for your enjoyment. Bruce Feldman’s 2020 college football Freaks List

Thank you, Bruce.

For you all here, at Bruins Nation, however, I’ve taken the liberty of grabbing the most off-the-wall hand-size measurements you’ve ever read and am pasting them below. It just so happens to belong to UCLA Bruins TE Mike Martinez.

Ranked No. 44 on the Freaks List, Martinez’ shear size and length are what land him on the list.

Martinez’s arms are so long that it seems like he could tie his shoes while standing up. The 6-6, 262-pound sophomore’s actual arm length is 36 inches, and his wingspan is 86 inches. The really freaky thing about him though is he has some of the biggest mitts college football has ever seen, measuring in at 12½ inches across. Anything more than 10½ is usually considered huge. Four years ago, DeForest Buckner tied an NFL combine record for hand size established by former Boston College offensive lineman Gosder Cherilus at 11¾. Martinez is almost a full inch bigger than that. He caught three passes for 39 yards in his rookie season but also established himself as a very good blocking tight end who runs well for his size.

It came with photo evidence as well!

But Martinez wasn’t alone. He was joined by No. 22 on the list, DE Osa Odighizuwa. His explosiveness is what landed him inside the top 25 of the Freaks List.

A bright spot for the Bruins’ defense in 2019, Odighizuwa tied for the team lead with 10 TFLs and 46 tackles. The 6-2, 279-pound senior is a former three-time state wrestling champ in Oregon. He has squatted more than 700 pounds, benches more than 420, has a 32-inch vertical, 15-percent body fat and has eclipsed 20 mph on his GPS.

Yeah, that’ll get you on there, for sure.

Congratulations to Mike and Osa, well deserved recognition among the freakiest athletes in the country.