Walter's scouting report on Markelle Martin

[JawnyBlaze]

Here's something to break up the "WE SHOULD DRAFT BROCKERS!" "NO WE SHOULD DRAFT KIRKPATRICK" "NO MATT KALIL IS GOING TO FALL TO US I HAS INSIDE INFOZ!!!" monotony.

http://www.walterfootball.com/scoutingreport2012markellemartin.php

Strengths:

Good speed

Instinctive

Athletic

Covers a lot of ground in deep part of the field

Experienced against top-quality passing attacks

Secure tackler

Physical

Thick

Big hitter

Solid in run support

Takes good angles

Can cover tight ends and backs

Is able to match up on slot receivers

Adept at breaking up passes

Strong student; won team academic awards

Weaknesses:

Doesn't intercept a lot of passes

Can bite on double moves

Durability concerns

Has had shoulder and hip injuries

Summary: Martin is one of the better safeties in the 2012 draft class, and is in the running as the top free safety prospect. The quick and rangy Martin does an excellent job of patrolling the deep part of the field. He has good instincts and takes good angles to cover up receivers running deep. At times, he has been beaten by double moves, but generally he is skilled at not letting anybody get behind him.

Martin is a good open-field tackler. He also is a hard hitter who looks to make receivers pay for running across the middle of the field. He has the quickness and agility to cover a variety of receivers. He can match up on tight ends, slot receivers and running backs out of the backfield. Coming from college football's version of arena football, the Big XII, Martin is experienced against a variety of high-powered passing attacks. He had good games against some of the elite quarterbacks in college football over the past two seasons, including Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Landry Jones and Nick Foles.

Martin had a quality week at the Senior Bowl. He can play bigger than his listed measurements and never shies away from getting physical. While he is good at breaking passes up, he doesn't intercept many passes so his ball skills are incomplete.

Martin looks like a solid second-day pick. If an NFL team needs a center-fielder type safety, he should get serious consideration.

As a senior, Martin recorded 74 tackles (59 solo) with five tackles for a loss, 11 passes broken up and two forced fumbles. Martin had an impressive performance with nine tackles and a tackle for a loss against Luck's Stanford Cardinal to end the season.

I've liked him for a while now. I think if there isn't a CB we want at our second pick (unless we get one in the first, Claiborne I'm looking at you) we should seriously consider this guy.

[Pejorative Miscreant]

Interesting to ponder. I think the secondary needs help all over. I think this guy will be pretty good but I think maybe his stock is elevated because there are not a lot of good safeties in this year's draft.

[Panthers4lyfe]

he's defenitly a guy to consider in the 2nd. i wouldn't complain one bit if we got him there

[DaCityKats]

Dont want him in man coverage tho because at the senior bowl he looked like Everette Brown with all the spinning he was doing.

[Guest Bwood15]

He's not worth a first be he should definitely be on our radar in the second.

[mick eye]

Do not want. Guy is a head hunter. All the hits on youtube of his are ILLEGAL. Nothing special fourth ranked safety IMO. Barron, Smith and Iloka. Arguably you could say Phillip Thomas of Syracuse is right there as well.

[Herbert The Love Bug]

but we already got sherrod martin

[Cat'sGrowl]

Walterfootball?

[Ivan The Awesome]

I have him in one of my mocks in the second. He would be a great addition to the secondary.

[Riverboat Ron]

I like George Iloka better.

[Guest Bwood15]

I like George Iloka better.

Ditto.

[Ivan The Awesome]

Why? Just because he's taller?

[Riverboat Ron]

Why? Just because he's taller?

I've watched several Boise State games and Iloka is all over the field. He's actually a very strong open field tackler and can cover pretty well. He also seemed to be around the ball quite a bit. They moved him to CB to close the year out due to injuries, and he did ok, obviously much more suited to FS.

Another way some people look at it, he could bulk up a tad and be a WLB. I like him a saftey more though.

[JawnyBlaze]

I've watched several Boise State games and Iloka is all over the field. He's actually a very strong open field tackler and can cover pretty well. He also seemed to be around the ball quite a bit. They moved him to CB to close the year out due to injuries, and he did ok, obviously much more suited to FS.

Another way some people look at it, he could bulk up a tad and be a WLB. I like him a saftey more though.

While I do like Iloka well enough (not in the 2nd though) something in my head screams Taylor Mays. I wouldn't be upset if we picked him sometime after the 2nd, but I like Martin better.