Cardinal Newman football lands top QB transfer from Palm Beach rival

Cardinal Newman football appears to have found a potential successor to the first state championship quarterback in program history.

Former Atlantic quarterback Pedro Martinez Jr. announced his transfer to Cardinal Newman via his personal Instagram account on Tuesday, March 17.

Martinez took over as Atlantic's starting quarterback as a sophomore last fall and threw for 2,238 yards, 33 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also rushed for 438 yards and eight touchdowns.

Atlantic won its first nine games of the regular season and finished with a 10-2 record, including a district championship and second-round loss in the regional playoffs.

Martinez will enter the spring as a favorite to land the Cardinal Newman starting quarterback job after the departure of senior Jyron Hughley, who led the the Crusaders to their FHSAA football state championship in the fall.

More high school football: Pedro Martinez embraces chance to be Atlantic starting QB

Why it matters

Cardinal Newman is coming off the best season in school history under veteran head coach Jack Daniels.

The Crusaders finished 12-3 and won the Class 1A state championship after upsetting powerhouse Chaminade-Madonna at Pitbull Stadium on the campus of Florida International University in Miami.

The quarterback position is one of the biggest question marks facing Cardinal Newman in 2026.

Hughley, who was named MVP of the Class 1A state championship game, graduated and will play at West Virginia.

A dual-threat quarterback, Hughley was the focal point of the Crusaders' offense in recent seasons. He piled up more than 6,200 total yards of offense and 66 touchdowns in three seasons at Cardinal Newman.

Cardinal Newman football has won 20 consecutive games against Palm Beach County opponents, a streak which dates back to Sept. 10, 2021.

St. John Paul II quarterback transfers to Atlantic

Atlantic football, a top program in its own right with a 38-10 record over the past four seasons, may not have to look far to find its new quarterback.

Nicholas Pouncey, a Class of 2027 quarterback, announced his intention to transfer from St. John Paul II to Atlantic on March 8 via his personal Instagram account.

Pouncey threw for 1,305 yards and scored 15 total touchdowns last season while leading the Eagles to a 3-6 record.

Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at ejwallace@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Cardinal Newman football lands transfer quarterback Pedro Martinez