Penn State redshirt freshman offensive lineman Robert Martin is no longer on the Nittany Lions roster. The change came during a Monday update in which four summer enrollees were added to the official roster.

Update: Martin tweeted on Monday evening that he is giving up football.

“I want to thank the entire Penn State coaching staff for the opportunities they have given me, it is sad yet relieving to say that [I] am done with football. My love for playing has just decreased for a while. But I’m glad to say I’m very happy and can’t wait to pursue my future!”

The 6-foot-4, 273-pound Martin redshirted last season and was listed on the White team for the spring game in April, but did not play. Martin never cracked the depth chart at Penn State and spent the 2017 season on the scout team. He was expected to be a deep reserve for the Nittany Lions as a redshirt freshman.

A three-star prospect out of Montvale (N.J.) St. Joseph’s Prep in the Class of 2017, Martin was one of the first commitments in the cycle, joining CJ Thorpe in committing at the 2016 Blue-White Game. He chose the Nittany Lions over scholarship offers from Duke, Kentucky, Maryland, Nebraska and Virginia Tech. Martin was a second team all-state selection as a senior in 2017.

Martin was the nation’s No. 65 offensive tackle and the No. 17 prospect in New Jersey in the Class of 2017, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

James Franklin joked when Martin signed that he had plenty of room for growth.

"I'm really excited about Robert because he doesn't have a hair on his face. His face, looks like he's about 14 years old," said Franklin. "He's about 275 pounds right now. He has so much room for growth. When he decides to start growing some facial hair and fill out, I think we're going to have a chance to get a guy who has got a really, really big upside.



"He's the opposite of some of the guys I told the staff I don't like to recruit. I don't like to recruit the guy we played little league with at 12 years old and he's standing on the mound with a 5 o’clock shadow and a receding hairline. That guy, you're all scared of him.



"Then everybody grew and went past him. I like the baby-faced guys that you know are still growing and still maturing. He really fits that model. His dad was a basketball player. Played at Lehigh. He's got a big, supportive family. We expect him to come and do really good things."

His status doesn’t change anything for the Nittany Lions up front heading into the 2018 season. Martin was a deep reserve at guard, where classmates Thorpe and Michael Miranda have already appeared on the depth chart. The Nittany Lions will have 15 offensive linemen on scholarship this coming season, as well as walk-ons Zach Simpson and Charlie Shuman as interior players.

The Nittany Lions will welcome freshmen Rasheed Walker, Nana Asiedu, Juice Scruggs and Bryce Effner to the mix this summer.