STRENGTHS
Martin is a sleeper cornerback hiding in plain sight for all to see. He has excellent athletic talent and quickness and has the size and length teams drool over. Martin is a physical cornerback who is quick to support the run, fight through blocks and make tackles in space behind the line of scrimmage. He has a high football IQ being able to play in complicated zone coverages. Martin is an excellent communicator on the field and shows leadership skills through his play on the field. He has the quick/twitch athletic talent and cover skills to be used in any style of single coverages. As I stated before, Martin is a sleeper Defensive back who has excellent size and athletic talent, is physical, with a high football IQ, who is a good open-field tackler, who can play more than one defensive back position, hiding in plain sight for all to see.
CONCERNS
Martin is a good tackler but I’d like to see him wrap up more often and be more of a secure tackler. He doesn’t have many interceptions because he is all about denying the ball in the air and limiting RAC yards. He has the hands and it is not really in my opinion, a negative but you know how some teams will nit-pick. With his long legs, lining M. J. up in the slot against those smaller and quicker receivers is not very smart, and not very good coaching, but I’m sure some teams will consider that a negative also…I do not. I just consider it poor coaching and poor evaluation of talent if you do think that is a negative.
BOTTOM LINE: 1.72
Martin is a pure outside cover corner who can play in any zone coverage. He could also be used as a free safety and at times during a game, as an in-the-box safety. If your team doesn’t need a potential shut down corner because he might not be able to play in the slot, against all kinds of receivers then I suggest you move on. If you believe because he played mostly in a complicated zone coverage scheme, that he doesn’t have the athletic skills to cover a wide receiver one on one, I suggest you move on. If you don’t think that M. J. has the ability to read receivers and be physical and deny a receiver the ball in the air, I suggest you move on. I watch the film and I see a 6’2” 200 lbs, intelligent, cornerback who is physical and supports the run, and because of his long strides runs in the 4.4, 4.5 range and played in the SEC. Others I guess will see things differently and that’s why the draft is complicated.
