Jartavius Martin NFL Draft Overview
Position: Cornerback
Height: 6′-0″
Weight: 195 pounds
School: Illinois
2023 NFL Draft: Jartavius Martin Scouting Report
Jartavius Martin began his college career in Champaign, in 2018. In his first season with the Fighting Illini, Martin played in 10 games, including eight starts at cornerback, where he had a total of 42 tackles (25 solo, 17 assisted), with three interceptions, and three passes defended against. In his second season in the Land of Lincoln, Martin played in 12 of the Illini’s 13 games, making five starts at cornerback, before being moved to safety in the middle of the season. During that season Martin had 23 tackles (14 solo, nine assisted), and two fumble recoveries.
In the Covid-19 shortened 2020 season, Martin played in all eight of Illinois’ games. He had 38 tackles (25 solo, 13 assisted), a forced fumble and two passes defensed. In his fourth season in Champaign, Martin once again started all twelve games for the Illini and totaled 54 tackles (33 solo, 21 assisted), a forced fumble, and an interception, while defending against seven passes. In his final season in 2022, Martin made 64 tackles (51 solo, 13 assisted), a sack, two forced fumbles, three interceptions, and 11 passes defensed.
Strengths
- NFL-ready size and length;
- Biomechanically sound footwork;
- Has the ability to also play safety, if necessary;
- Plays solid defense against the run;
- Has great closing speed and soft hands; qualities that usually lead to a high rate of interceptions.
Weaknesses
- Gets beat quite often, on the deep ball;
- Is unable to maintain his center of gravity/balance in man coverage;
- May have difficulty covering tight ends;
- Tackling angles to the ball carrier, especially on running plays, are off-kilter;
- Has a history of losing his receiver on routes.
NFL Comparison: Sean Murphy-Bunting
Teams With Need At Position: Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Washington Commanders
Projection: Rounds 4-5
Bottom Line on Jartavius Martin
Jartavius Martin has a lot of upside to his game. He has the build of an NFL-ready cornerback and exceptional footwork capability. Martin is also versatile because he can play safety, if necessary, and plays at an above-average level against the run. He also has great closing speed and soft hands which were a big part of why he had seven interceptions over his five-year career at the University of Illinois.
Like any draft prospect, Martin is not perfect. In order for him to be successful at the next level he will have to work on staying with his receiver throughout the duration of routes, especially on deep passes. Martin will also have to work on his core strength and lower body strength, as balance is an issue when making tackles and staying on his receiver, especially on pass plays. He will also have to work on his upper body strength so that he does not get pushed around by bigger, stronger tight ends. Look for a team to use a pick on Martin in either round four or five.
Main Photo: Ron Johnson – USA Today Sports
