Markelle Martin's Pro Day

[Pokes28]

I bring this up because he's dropped on many boards after not being able to test out at the combine or the OSU pro day due to surgery to fix a torn meniscus.

Today he had his pro-day and he ran a 4.5 and jumped 34.5. Some scouts had him at 4.6. Either way, those are numbers that will help him climb back up the draft boards.

Markelle is my adopted player at OSU. I know his family and can tell you that he's going to go a lot higher than what many think. I've seen him on some mocks lasting until the 6th/7th round. I wouldn't be too surprised to hear his name in the late 2nd round though I do think that everything would have to fall just right for that to happen.

He's visited over 20 teams where he was poked and prodded and they tested out his shoulders and knees. To date it doesn't sound like any team is scared of him medically based on follow up calls and interviews.

I think the team he's most likely to get drafted by is the Ravens. He'd be a perfect fit on their roster (they are his favorite team and we know that teams like to draft those guys as they feel they will get their best). I'd love to see him in Dallas and there has been interest shown, but it is hard to tell just how much that matters. Markelle is often told by teams to not talk about their visits. So he's keeping his secrets right now to a point that I don't have direct inside information although I've been able to piece together a few of them.

Here are the good and bad about Markelle.

Good -
Fantastic leader - other players congregate around him
Student of the game - was essentially the on field coach getting everybody in the right spots and making adjustments. OSU's defense led the nation in creating turnovers and nearly set an NCAA record.
Very solid and mature - He had his wobbles in his first year at OSU. But his sophomore year the light went on.
Big hitter/intimidator - He's one of those guys that cause opposing WRs to alter their route or start hearing footsteps. He received several personal foul penalties that were later apologized for after the conference realized they were clean, just brutal. RG3 has said the hit he took from Markelle in this year's game was the hardest he's ever been hit.
Covers a lot of ground - I don't put too much weight on numbers in shorts, but Markelle has great range and a motor that doesn't stop. He plays as fast as he needs to play. In the Big 12 with so many air raid offenses, Markelle was the guy that tore up the bubble screen that is the bread and butter of many of the offenses. He just knew when it was going to hit and made the play to slip the blocks and tackle the receiver for a loss or no gain.

Bad -
Bad hands - He's capable of catching the football, but he just doesn't do it well. Over his career he dropped a ton of gimme INTs. He's so athletic you expect he'll get the prize when he's in the right spot. Just doesn't have great hands.
Tends to take bad angles - I don't know if he thinks he's faster or if it is just his aggressive nature, but he takes angles on ball carriers that prevent him from making the play. He doesn't do it too often but when he does, it is pretty obvious.
More of a strong safety player than free safety - I see him listed as a free safety on ranking boards. Yes he was recruited to OSU to play corner, but he's played SS for 4 years at OSU. I think he could do it, but he is more of a run support guy with the speed and range to cover TEs.

I really think he'll go in the 3rd round after today's pro-day and the way he interviews (very well by all accounts), but whatever team does get him will have a guy that will put in the sweat. He may never be an all-pro guy, but he's a player I can see playing for 10+. He'll do anything a team asks, special teams, blitz, taking down the lead blocker, etc.

I love the kid and will probably be making a trip this year to see him play for whatever team drafts him.

David Harrell - Pokes
dwh

[BAT]

Nice breakdown. Martin is my favorite Safety in this draft. I think Smith is a better ballhawk and wrap up tackler but Martin can be a star.

If not for the shoulder issues, Martin is drafted before Barron. IMO, Markelle Martin can be a stud FS, but not so sure about Barron.

Martin idolizes Ed Reed, like most of today's young safeties, but he plays more like Ronnie Lott. He is a punishing hitter w/a nasty attitude.

[Chocolate Lab]

Good post and good info.

[Gaede]

I like Martin too.

I think he's a guy who gets dinged in the pre-draft process and then when he plays football, everyone says, 'i can't believe we didn't pick him'

[CowboysLaw87]

If we don't come away with Barron, Martin is on my short list. I think we need to come away with a legitimate safety who projects to start at some point early in their careers in this draft. That means...

Barron, Smith, Iloka, Martin, Taylor. I'm not so high on Antonio Allen.