Mike Martin Draft Evaluation
Similar to the thread about Molk the other day, here's the feedback Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's received about Martin. He has him #8 among DTs.
8. MIKE MARTIN Michigan 6-1½ 305 4.84 2-3 Described by one scout as "a modern-day version of Kelly Gregg." Shortest DT on the board but also one of the most tenacious. "He is one good football player" another scout said. "Strong. Bright guy. Got a lot of pizzazz to him." Won a state wrestling champion at Detroit Catholic Central High. "As good looking as he is and as athletic as he tests he just doesn't play with a lot of juice on a consistent basis or with a lot of power," a third scout said. "Not much of a pass rusher. He could probably be a two-down starter in a 4-3, not a 3-4." Finished with 172 tackles (25 for loss) and 10 sacks in 49 games (37 starts). "He will face 350-pound guys that are just going to fall on top of him," a fourth scout said. "You love his intensity. He's swelled up. He's run out of skin, that guy."
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/draftcaps24-vn4vq70-148607175.ht…
Reading the other evaluations, the scouts don't have the questions about desire or love of football that they lay on a lot of other players. I do wonder if the comments about a the lack of "juice" and "power" came from viewing games when Martin was hurt.
April 23rd, 2012 at 10:36 PM ^
If Mike Martin lacks the power for the NFL, then Denard Robinson is just too damned slow for the league...
April 23rd, 2012 at 10:38 PM ^
Pizzazz? Odd choice of words there. It sounds like he thinks Mike Martin could break out in show tunes at any time. I guess "high motor" is becoming cliche.
April 24th, 2012 at 10:27 AM ^
There's a great restaurant/sports bar in Pittsburgh by that name
April 24th, 2012 at 11:14 AM ^
I'm not sure about pizzazz, but he certainly has a lot of panache and zest.
April 23rd, 2012 at 10:45 PM ^
The thing we keep hearing about BWC is his pad level and how hard it is for a tall guy to stay low. Why does being tall matter for a DT? The best DT probably ever Warren Sapp is maybe an inch taller than MM.
April 23rd, 2012 at 10:50 PM ^
April 23rd, 2012 at 10:51 PM ^
which helps in reaching into OL's body quicker and disengaging blocks quickly. Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh are both 6'4".
April 23rd, 2012 at 10:58 PM ^
Mike Martin will be a starter in the NFL. Even if he has to earn the job over a season or two, I see it happening. Dude is a beast and has had the best coaching to give him a great opportuninty to do so.
April 23rd, 2012 at 11:06 PM ^
This report does give us a new Mike Martin meme, however, to go along with "Get in the car, it's Mike Martin." We now have, as well, "Mike Martin has run out of skin"
April 23rd, 2012 at 11:30 PM ^
I like the way Martin approaches the game. He seems to work hard and use his hands well. But he hasn't always been consistent.
Now you can look at this two ways, for example, MSU's Worthy wasn't always consistent, but he is naturally better and doesn't have to work as hard, when he's inconsistent it's more of a "will" than a "skill". Martin I think plays hard, but just has some limitations. I think that biggest limitation was playing out of position for his whole Michigan career. He's a 3 tech in a 4-3, not a nose. Because he played nose, he seemed to disappear, especially earlier in the season. As the season progressed he got a lot better as he got better technique due to coaching, but still, when you're a scout just looking at tape you see what you see. I think that's a pretty fair evaluation of what an outsider would see of Martin. Someone who works hard but had limitations at his position.
April 23rd, 2012 at 11:34 PM ^
I would go with a scenario that could have actually happened: Jonathan Hankins and Mike Martin next to each other.
Of course, Hankins was too fat to play for RR....(face palm).
for Dantonio. Goes both way. Neither MSU or Michigan offered him. Hankins had a chance to earn an offer at camp by getting in shape and he failed to do so. Can't blame RR for it.
April 24th, 2012 at 12:40 PM ^
Considering Hankins was a starter as a true sophomore last year for OSU and put up numbers very comparable to what Martin had last season, I have no trouble blaming RR for whiffing on Hankins. Just because Dantonio was also stupid enough to pass on Hankins doesn't make it "okay" for RR to have done so.
actually got into shape to see significant playing time at OSU when he only had one thing to do to earn MSU or Michigan offer is to get into shape. He failed to do it. It's fair for them to pass on him because if he can't get into shape to earn a schollie offer, why would he work hard once he sets foot on campus? That's a very reasonable conclusion and I don't blame RR for passing on Hankins in risk of him being a wasted schollie space because he doesn't want to put his time into getting in shape for camp.
Easy to say in hindsight. But at the time, you can't afford to take that risk.
April 25th, 2012 at 10:52 AM ^
You mean how Tony Posada and Justin Turner were in great shape? He should have taken Hanks...he is playing great football for Ohio.
April 23rd, 2012 at 11:46 PM ^
Back in 2006, scouts were saying worse things about another DT. He was considered short, small, and not very athletic. He was out of LSU, and the Bills drafted him in the 5th round.
Kyle Williams... 6-1 300 lbs, started his rookie season. Since then, he has been the foundation of Buffalo's defense. Currently he is considered one of the top DT's in the NFL.
Mike Martin is going to be just fine.
Just because another DT is 6'1" doesn't mean all 6'1" tackles are going to be awesome, it doesn't work that way. That's just like saying because Denard Robinson is 6' and Drew Brees is 6' they'll both have successful careers in the NFL as quarterbacks. Darren Sproles and Vincent Smith aren't destined to see the same sort of success in the NFL because they're both 5'6". Just because one undersized player made it, not all undersized players make it.
With that being said, I still think Martin is going to be fine because hes a beast.
You took things quite literally. The point I was making... which you obviously missed. Measurables aren't everything. The NFL is filled with many players, who don't fit the mold of the "perfect specimen"... yet succeed. My example of Williams was one such case. It was not a thesis that short players always make the NFL.
April 24th, 2012 at 12:09 AM ^
I spoke to Martin's mother at the Braylon Edwards celebrity basketball game a few weeks ago. she said that she'd be proud of him no matter what.
If I ever have a son that doesn't get drafted in the first round, he will be disowned.
I think both of these attitudes show healthy parenting. It takes all kinds...
April 24th, 2012 at 12:12 AM ^
Martin was very productive in college, despite having terrible coaching until his senior year at his position. He reportedly dominated at the Senior Bowl and finished in the top 3 in nearly all categories at the Combine. The NFL scouts, once again... are missing the boat on a guy simply because he is a couple of inches shorter than what they consider "ideal".
April 24th, 2012 at 12:36 AM ^
I was pulling for "turns offensive lineman to mush", but I'll take tenacious I suppose.
No discussion of BEAST MODE
Or Hulk Smash...
April 24th, 2012 at 11:21 AM ^
I'd love him as a 3-tech on the Bears, although Henry Melton (a running back his first two seasons at Texas) stepped up his game this last year so they might not be looking for a guy at that spot.
April 24th, 2012 at 12:57 PM ^
Mike Martin is the Tom Brady of D-tackles in this year's draft..... #enoughsaid
Are you saying that due to his football success and his lush, flowing hair, he will soon impregnate two models?
doing Mach 20 when he runs out of his skin?
