Overview
Position: Offensive guard/tackle
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 305 pounds
School: Florida Gators
Martez Ivey 2019 NFL Draft Profile
Suffice it to say that all the big-time collegiate programs were in search of Martez Ivey‘s services. He enjoyed a standout career at Apopka High School in central Florida that made him among the most highly touted recruits of 2015 regardless of position. Rivals rated him as the top offensive tackle, the second-best prospect in the state, and fourth overall. In the end, Ivey turned out to be the crown jewel of Jim McElwain‘s first recruiting class as Florida head coach.
Not surprisingly, Ivey made a fairly instantaneous contribution on the Gators offensive line. He started the final eight games of the season, primarily kicking inside to guard during a season that saw UF ranked as high as eighth in the AP poll. He was subsequently named to the SEC All-Freshman team by the league’s coaches. Ivey continued his upward ascent as one of the conference’s top linemen as a sophomore. He appeared in all 13 games, starting 12 of them and receiving second-team All-SEC recognition from the coaches and the AP.
He earned similar honors in 2017 during a campaign that ultimately didn’t go to plan as the Gators finished 4-7 and subsequently fired McElwain. But they emerged as one of the SEC’s top teams in Dan Mullen‘s first season as head coach. Ivey ostensibly played his part, starting all 13 games on a line that allowed the third-fewest sacks in the SEC. He and teammate Jawaan Taylor figure to be among the first offensive linemen off the board come April.
Strengths
- ideal height and overall frame with 36+ inch arms;
- uses hands relatively well, with good placement and punch;
- comfortable in gap and zone blocking schemes;
- does a good job helping out on combo blocks;
- capable of uncoiling hips and delivering jarring blows;
- lumbering and imposing presence when blocking downfield;
- a patient blocker who’s able to recover when initially beaten;
- a four-year starter who earned all-SEC honors three times.
Weaknesses
- plays with inconsistent contact balance at times;
- pad level can fall too far forward, giving him leverage disadvantage;
- lateral quickness in reach and seal situations is iffy;
- not particularly explosive when kicking out on pulls and traps;
- needs to sustain blocks better;
- can get lost when blocking in the second level;
- too often lets the contact come to him rather than seeking it out;
- overall development during college career was a bit underwhelming.
NFL Comparison: Connor Williams
Teams With Need at Position: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins
Projection: Late first to early second round
Bottom Line
Expectations were high for Ivey at Florida. And even though he consistently earned postseason recognition from the conference, it’s questionable as to whether he fully met them given his status as one of the nation’s best recruits coming out of high school. There’s certainly much to like. His physical traits are exactly what teams look for when it comes to NFL-caliber linemen. He’s versatile and should prove reliable providing protection on outside zone runs. But his lateral quickness is sketchy and he doesn’t put himself in positions on a consistent enough basis to fully generate base leverage. Those weak suits mean he’s almost certain to kick inside to guard at the next level. And he’ll certainly need to put in work if he wants to become a regular contributor on a yearly basis. But teams needing guard depth will certainly consider adding him to their roster.
