Adrian Martinez NFL Draft Profile
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6’02”
Weight: 220lbs
School: Kansas State
2023 NFL Draft: Adrian Martinez Scouting Report
In 2018, Adrian Martinez started his university career at the University of Nebraska as the first true freshman to ever start at quarterback for the Cornhuskers. Injuries and a depleted Nebraska roster derailed his career early and often, with his freshman and sophomore seasons ending in losing records. His junior season, impacted by Covid, also went horribly awry, resulting in a benching in favour of true freshman Luke McCaffery. Although he once again returned for a senior year at Nebraska, the programme was in demise and Martinez managed an embarrassing 3-9 record with only 2,867 yards and 14 touchdowns in 11 games.
Martinez’s university career had gone awry, chiefly because of poor recruiting and programming at Nebraska. With one year of eligibility remaining, Martinez sought to make a showing he always believed he could. In six starts at Kansas State he completed 64.1 percent of passes for 1,261 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception. Moreover, Adrian Martinez ran for 627 yards on 111 attempts with 10 touchdowns. Unfortunately, injuries also derailed his 2022 season, leaving injuries a major question over an otherwise fascinating and fun year at Kansas State.
Strengths
- Resilient and has always fought to bounce back
- Fights to make big plays
- Dual-threat quarterback with athleticism to turn into a runner on any down
- Possesses a touch on the ball, saw significant improvement at Kansas State with only one interception
- Willingness to take any role on the team; potentially creative slots on right roster
Weaknesses
- Will need to overcome injury prone moniker
- Potentially needs a lot of refinement after playing in dreadful Nebraska programme
- Interception prone at Nebraska – poor programme or undisciplined decision making?
- Played in a role quarterback spot at Kansas State, not a true number one
- Not traditional quarterback, will need to find unique role
NFL Comparison: Pat White
Teams With Need at Position: Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens
Projection: Undrafted Free Agent
Bottom Line on Adrian Martinez
Adrian Martinez is a fascinating quarterback prospect almost nearly because he will not fulfil the role of a traditional quarterback if he makes it to the NFL field in the regular season. For his part, a tenure on a practice squad or through one or two teams training camps is necessary. Unfortunately, this is in part to him not seeing proper coaching at Nebraska. At Kansas State, however, he saw ample opportunity to improve and took advantage, tossing only one interception all season.
The improvement and resilience in face of a more than challenging university career will leave fans cheering for Adrian Martinez if their team drafts him late or signs him in free agency. Even when he played in a role at Kansas State, he simply wanted to do what it took to win games; and win games was something the 2022 Wildcats excelled at, making it to the Sugar Bowl against Alabama. Although the team lost to Alabama 20-45, their 2022 season was more than respectable.
Adrian Martinez is the sort of player that a team needs to create a special role for in the NFL. He is reminiscent of the thrilling, although too convoluted, formations that the Dolphins tried to use Pat White for about five years too early. Now that the NFL has figured out how to properly execute wildcat and trick formations, players like Martinez may have a life where they previously could not. Hence, the big question hanging over Martinez will be injuries; but if he can stay healthy, there is value on the right roster.
Main Image: Tim Heitman – USA TODAY Sports
