Welcome to the Commanders Jartavius Martin S/CB Illinois Fighting Illini

[zCommander]

 

HEIGHT

5’ 11’’

WEIGHT

194 lbs

ARM

31 1/8’’

HAND

9 5/8’’

 

Overview

Versatile cornerback/safety prospect with the size and physical talent to play nickel back or align as a deep safety. A buttery smooth hip swivel allows him to glide and transition effectively from his pedal, but he has just average route recognition to stay connected to clever route runners. Martin’s speed and explosiveness at the NFL Scouting Combine was eye-catching, but he needs to play consistently to that speed on the field. A team will need to decide where to play him, but he has the potential to become an early contributor and a starter further down the road.

Strengths

• Desired NFL body type with good size/length.
• Offers nickelback and safety versatility.
• Oily hips provide free-flowing transitions.
• Nimble feet to stay in phase with the route.
• Burst to close includes soft hands and plus ball skills.
• Has the range to play over the top as a safety.
• Punches and separates to free himself in run support.

Weaknesses

• Lost track of coverage targets against Virginia.
• Inconsistent chase speed when beaten deep.
• Gets knocked off-balance in his tight man coverage.
• Might not have enough play strength to cover tight ends.
• Undercut angles on the throw run a little shallow.
• Needs to take leveraged angles to ball-carrier.

Edited April 29, 2023 by zCommander

[Professor_Nutter_Butter]

I hope he doesn't suck.

[XxSpearheadxX]

You know a dude named Jartavius can play some safety! Whoa athleticism must have had him high on the boards, to be fair I have no idea what OL was available 

[TradeTheBeal!]

Oily hips!

[mojo]

6 minutes ago, TradeTheBeal! said:

Oily hips!

Can’t teach that

Odd pick to me.  It seems to me with Forrest and Butler, we have depth in this role. Surprised we didn’t draft for greater need.

Edited April 29, 2023 by mojo

[El Mexican]

Just play better than Jaron Landry, please.

 

At this juncture we're basically betting our above-average defense, iffy OLine and semi-rookie QB can lead us through the season.

 

RR is making a HUUUGE gamble.

Edited April 29, 2023 by El Mexican

[Always A Commander Never A Captain]

Guy is mostly a Nickel corner. This is the Bobby McCain replacement.

[OtisDriftwood25]

This is Rons way of reacting to the running Qb/Eagles. Speed and sure tackling. No matter if I like the pick or not secondary is a major strength now.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

 

 

 

[CRobi21]

^^^

Impressive vertical. 

 

But can he jump out of a pool?

Edited April 29, 2023 by CRobi21

[Skinsinparadise]

Great addition.  He was on my guys list when we compiled our favorite players in this draft.  

 

Outside corner

Slot corner

FS

Big nickel

 

Good ball skills.  Good tackler.  High intangibles.  

 

It's one of those picks that might not feel exciting but over time I'd bet he becomes a fan favorite.  Hes IMO just a hair behind Brian Branch ability wise. 

 

 

 

 

[Renegade7]

59 minutes ago, TradeTheBeal! said:

Oily hips!

 

And buttery...

 

 

Outside of him being described like a Waffle House breakfast, I like the pick.  If you gonna to go BPA, it doesn't hurt doubling down on the seconday in a passing league.

[Skinsinparadise]

An article I posted a few days ago in the draft thread but fits here, too

https://247sports.com/college/illinois/Article/Illini-defensive-back-Quan-Martin-entering-final-season-as-key-piece-to-revamped-Illinois-defense-Ryan-Walters-defensive-coordinator-190808355/

Quan Martin 'a hidden gem' and a leader for the improved Illini defense

INDIANAPOLIS. — The schedule of a college football player, no less a transplant to Illinois from Florida, doesn’t exactly open the door to take trips home during the Thanksgiving holiday. That time is spent preparing for the final game of the regular season, and for Illinois, that means film and practice time readying for in-state rival Northwestern.

So rather than go home, Quan Martin took up cooking a Thanksgiving for himself. A full meal. “The whole nine yards,” as he describes it. There’s macaroni and cheese, ham, baked beans, cornbread. A feast.

“Just being in the kitchen with my parents and my grandma and stuff, cooking and learning from them,” Martin told Illini Inquirer. “I cook for Thanksgiving when my parents are at home, and I can’t go home for Thanksgiving. I kind of make a home away from home for that.”

Martin grew up wanting to be a chef, but a burgeoning football career will likely put that on the backburner as he enters his final year of collegiate eligibility as a versatile defensive back for the Illini, who has played cornerback, safety and nickel for Illinois during his first four seasons.

Martin, as it so happens, is playing the best football of his career and was instrumental in Illinois improving from the No. 14 (last-place) scoring defense during Big Ten play in 2021 to the No. 4 scoring defense during conference play last season, while the defense improved from 97th nationally in scoring defense in 2021 to 31st.

 

But how much do people really know about Martin, who has spent the past four years as a fixture in the Illinois defense? Maybe not as much as some of his teammates.

“Quan’s kind of like the hidden gem,” teammate Chase Brown told Illini Inquirer.

 

Though neither Chase Brown nor Sydney Brown have actually had Martin’s food — something that is likely to change over the course of the year — they know he’s got a passion for cooking. Martin’s also a bit of a team barber, a skill he picked up watching YouTube videos when barber shops around campus were closed due to COVID-19 pandemic. More recently, Martin’s girlfriend purchased a barber chair for his apartment as teammates pass through his home for a haircut.

Did anyone mention the dunk contest that Martin participated in at City of Palms in which he tried to jump over a person on one dunk and went for a windmill dunk on another? He didn’t win, but the video of the contest lives in a bit of lore and is fairly difficult to find, save for a slow-motion 21-second video of one of the dunks.

 

More than any of his off-field interests, Martin has earned the respect of the entire locker room. He’s the guy, the coaches say, who does everything right. Martin is one of the leaders during offseason workouts, constantly pushing teammates in the bitterness of the winter or the heat of the summer.

 

“He can jump. He’s a barber,” Illini wide receiver Isaiah Williams said. “He cuts a lot of people’s on the team hair. He cooks. He a laid-back dude, but at the same time, he’s hard-working. He's really a leader.”

In fact, when Williams — one of the top athletes on the team and one of the most prolific offensive playmakers — gets to choose an opponent in offseason workouts, he generally looks Martin’s way. Williams doesn’t want an easy win and knows Martin will push him to the very limit. The two go back and forth in practice given their positions, but the summer workouts are where the stories are generated.

 

“The first person I went to was Quan and that wasn’t because I felt like I was going to beat him,” Williams said when recounting how he chose his summer workout partner. “It was because every single rep we was going to battle. I knew every single rep he was going to give me his best, and I was going to give him my best. That’s something I look forward to. Every single rep you know Quan is going to give it his all.

 

“I promise you every time I’m going to pick Quan. Nobody else. I might say Chase or Syd just because they just gifted and unique, and I just want that challenge. If it’s just one person, it’s going to be Quan.”

Pretty high praise. That praise has been backed up on the field. Martin had his best collegiate season a year ago under new defensive coordinator Ryan Walters.

 

After bouncing from boundary corner to safety to slot in his first three years at Illinois, Martin excelled playing nickel — essentially the slot corner — for the Illini last season in the first year under Walters, the team’s defensive coordinator. Though he didn’t have the interceptions (1) that third-round draft pick Kerby Joseph (5) did, nor the tackles (55) that fellow senior Sydney Brown (81) did, Martin’s work in the slot didn’t go unnoticed by Walters — or Pro Football Focus.

Among Illinois defensive players to play at least 100 snaps, Martin had the seventh-best defensive grade. He also had the third-best coverage grade of all Illinois defensive players with at least 100 snaps in coverage. He had the best tackling grade of any Illini, per PFF, and was only charged with three missed tackles all year, and zero in the final seven weeks.

“I love the position,” Martin said. “It’s a great spot for me to showcase my ability and be able to help my team, and Coach Walters puts us in great positions every time.”

 

Martin put up the best defensive grade (69.0) and coverage grade (67.6) and tackling grade (88.8) of his four-year career. Still, Walters can deploy Martin in a variety of ways, especially after Martin settled into his role last season.

Martin struggled at the beginning of last season, allowing — according to PFF — 17 receptions on 21 targets for 287 yards and one touchdown during the first four games of the season. But during the final eight games of the season, Martin allowed just 15 receptions on 33 targets for 161 yards and zero touchdowns. That’s 4.9 yards per target and 20.1 yards per game.

“His versatility allows us to do what we do schematically,” Walters said. “He’s like an extra corner out there, but he’s as physical as a safety and he’s got the IQ of a quarterback.”

 

The next step for Martin is to take a leap in his vocal leadership, which has been a focus of the offseason. His voice carries weight in the locker room. Though it may be a bit out of his comfort zone to use that voice, he’s taking a step forward in that department.

“He’s a highly-intelligent, great football IQ, doesn’t say a lot,” Illinois head coach Bret Bielema said. “I said one of the things that could really help our defense go to another level is if he became a more effective communicator. He’s going to have to get out of his comfort zone.”

Said Martin: “Just being able to touch more guys. You can lead by example. There are different forms of leadership. Some people tend to lead by example, and I feel like that’s what I was doing for a while. But to get more out of this program and this team, I feel like I have to be more vocal and talk to my teammates who may need me to speak up in tough times.”

Martin has one final year in Champaign and found the position in which he thrives. He and Sydney Brown aren’t about to get hung up on last season’s defense or the massive step forward it took. There’s not enough time to dwell back there.

4COMMENTS

Though Martin may be a bit more reserved than some of his counterparts, those inside the locker room know well enough how much he means to the team. And if they’re lucky, he’ll invite them over for Thanksgiving dinner.

“I think you learn the most about somebody in winter workouts and spring workouts, in the weight room,” Sydney Brown said. “You learn about what they’re about, their mindset, and Quan brings it every single day. He works his tail off. He’s tough, he’s smart, he knows how to play ball. I can look at him on the field if I need help and vice versa. It’s nice to look to my side and know that I’ve got a vet beside me.”

[Skinsinparadise]

 

[Always A Commander Never A Captain]

1 hour ago, Skinsinparadise said:

Great addition.  He was on my guys list when we compiled our favorite players in this draft.  

 

Outside corner

Slot corner

FS

Big nickel

 

Good ball skills.  Good tackler.  High intangibles.  

 

It's one of those picks that might not feel exciting but over time I'd bet he becomes a fan favorite.  Hes IMO just a hair behind Brian Branch ability wise. 

 

 

 

 

 

Responding to your, uh, original image of a post? Anyways, he's got loads of "almost" plays. Based on ability to make the play, nah. But based on the ability to know a play can be made, oh yeah. His athleticism is tantalizing with that.

[Warhead36]

He got the colors right so hes not a total bum.

 

In all seriousness he's not a bad player but I think we took him too early. He probably would have been available at 97. And Safety wasn't really a dire need for us. We're set there with Curl and Forrest.

[DWinzit]

Loaded up the D backfield with studs!

[illone]

Fuller backup/replacement. 
 

Doubt he takes many snaps from Forrest or Curl. 
 

 

[Sacks 'n' Stuff]

Never heard of the guy but I’ll give it to him that it at least looks like he makes people say “ouch” when he hits them.

[Renegade7]

1 hour ago, Warhead36 said:

He got the colors right so hes not a total bum.

 

In all seriousness he's not a bad player but I think we took him too early. He probably would have been available at 97. And Safety wasn't really a dire need for us. We're set there with Curl and Forrest.

 

Curl missed chunk of time last year and we're different defense without him.  More I think about it, that's probably bigger reason for the pick, something to help blunt that should he be out again.

[FrFan]

 

[FrFan]

 

Edited April 29, 2023 by FrFan

[FootballZombie]

He seems to be very proficient at wrapping up when the opportunity presents itself, especially for a DB.

 

Not quite a "Glom" and more of a "Nom", but its something positive to build around for sure.

[Est.1974]

60% of our snaps involve us having either 3 corners or 3 safeties on the field. I would think he’ll be an instant contributor given he can play both positions.

[Koolblue13]

I love this pick. The guy is always around the ball. Sip called him up recently and I really liked him. 

 

Free, inside, outside. Blitzer, gets picks. 

 

Great pick. Welcome Quan.