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Jartavius Martin Could Be a Chess Piece in the Commanders Defense

Hogs Haven takes a look at 2023 NFL Draft prospects that could contribute to the Commanders

By dg28
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 05 Michigan State at Illinois Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Jartavius Martin, DB

School: Illinois | Conference: Big Ten

College Experience: Senior | Age: 22

Height / Weight: 5’11” / 194 lbs

Projected Draft Status: 3rd-4th Round

Player Comparison: Jalen Pitre

College Statistics

Defense & Fumbles Table
Tackles Def Int Fumbles
Year School Conf Class Pos G Solo Ast Tot Loss Sk Int Yds Avg TD PD FR Yds TD FF
2018 Illinois Big Ten FR DB 9 25 19 44 2.0 0.0 3 0 0.0 0 3 0 0
*2019 Illinois Big Ten SO DB 8 14 9 23 2.0 0.0 0 0 0 0 2 0
2020 Illinois Big Ten JR DB 8 25 13 38 0.0 0.0 0 0 0 2 0 1
2021 Illinois Big Ten JR DB 12 33 23 56 3.5 0.0 1 19 19.0 0 6 0 0
*2022 Illinois Big Ten SR DB 13 51 13 64 3.0 1.0 3 0 0.0 0 11 0 0 0 2
Career Illinois 148 77 225 10.5 1.0 7 19 2.7 0 22 2 0 0 3
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 4/9/2023.

Player Overview

Jartavius “Quan” Martin hails from Florida where he was a three-star recruit that committed to Illinois over Air Force, Central Michigan, FIU, and Georgia Southern. Martin earned the opportunity to start for the Illini in his first two games as a freshman at cornerback, only the second true freshman to do so (Vontae Davis). He would go on to start eight games as a freshman in 2018 and was second on the team in interceptions. He would bounce in and out of Illinois’ starting lineup in his first three seasons, but he became a fixture at starter in 2021. In 2022, Martin moved from cornerback to the “star” - hybrid safety/linebacker - for the Illini defense. Martin was a standout the entire season, having his most productive year and earning All-Big Ten honors.

Strengths

  • Twitchy athlete
  • Has understanding of spacing and assignments in zone coverage
  • In man coverage, has the footwork and agility to stay in phase
  • Gears up when the ball is in the air
  • Runs the alley to make plays in backfield
  • Speed helps him beat ball carriers to the perimeter
  • Willing tackler that often evades blockers

Weaknesses

  • Less than ideal size limits some effectiveness as tackler
  • Tends to take false steps and tries to make up for them with his athleticism
  • Ball production would be better if he had more reliable hands
  • Misplays ball in the air occasionally
  • Aggressiveness in man coverage can lead to being beat by double moves

Let’s see his work

How he fits on the Commanders

If there is one thing the Commanders seem to value in its secondary, it’s versatility. Just about every contributor on the backend of the defense can play at least two positions. Jartavius Martin would definitely fit in with his ability to play near the line of scrimmage, cover in the slot, or drop into deep coverage. With the departure of Bobby McCain, the starting slot corner position is up for grabs. Martin would be competing with cornerbacks like Danny Johnson and possibly a safety like Percy Butler to play that role. If he needs time before he’s ready to start, Martin could provide depth at a few different positions. Martin has things to improve to reach his potential, but he could provide the type of flexibility the Commanders covet on defense.

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