The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2023 NFL draft.
Devon Witherspoon and Sydney Brown have both been in the media spotlight recently. Witherspoon, the Illinois cornerback, could be the first cornerback off the board in the 2023 NFL Draft. Brown, the versatile Illinois defensive back’s draft stock seems to have skyrocketed after a strong showing during Senior Bowl week.
The other member of that talented secondary is Jartavius “Quan” Martin. The Illinois defensive back could be a potential target for the Green Bay Packers as they look to improve the safety position this offseason.
“The good thing about him is that he has worked at so many spots,” Bob Asmussen, the Illinois football beat writer for the Champaign News-Gazette said. “But I think free safety would be his best fit. He played with first-round cornerback Devon Witherspoon and was also pushed by Sydney Brown. That group was tight-knit and determined to make the others better.”
During his first season on campus, Martin recorded 42 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, and six sacks. Over the next two seasons, Martin recorded two tackles for loss and two pass deflections. In 2021, Martin recorded 55 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one interception, and eight pass deflections. This past season, Martin recorded 64 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions, and 14 pass deflections.
“He was a linchpin,” Asmussen said. “A key to the team’s success in the secondary and defensively overall. He was second on the team in tackles, so he was highly productive. Illinois doesn’t win eight games without him.”
Martin lined up all over the secondary during his five-year career at Illinois. He played on the boundary, played safety, and logged 924 snaps in the slot over the past two seasons.
“Quan never met a position or a challenge he didn’t like,” Asmussen said. “He adapted to the coaching change from Lovie Smith to Bret Bielema and got better under former defensive coordinator Ryan Walters (now the head coach at Purdue) and Aaron Henry. He is a playmaker. His three picks seemed to come in big moments.”
Jim Nagy, the executive director of the Senior Bowl said that he believes Martin is one of the most versatile defensive backs in the draft.
“Quan, to me, is one of the most versatile DBs in this year’s draft. The ability to play nickel, free safety, maybe even some outside corner…That chess piece ability…He’s going to fill multiple roles.”
Martin is a fluid athlete. The versatile defensive back has the short-area quickness, quick feet, and swivel hips to man the slot position at the next level. As a single-high safety, Martin covers a lot of real estate. He shows good route recognition. When the ball is in the air, Martin showcases adequate ball skills.
“He didn’t have as many shots at interceptions this season as teammate Sydney Brown, who was among the national leaders,” Asmussen said. “Illinois under Lovie Smith emphasized takeaways and continued that trend with Bret Bielema. The Illini spent a lot of time on the fundamentals of playing in the secondary and ball skills are an important part of it.”
When the ball arrives, Martin is quick to get his man to the ground, rarely giving up any yards after the catch.
In run support, Martin doesn’t play with his hair on fire like his teammate Brown. He has good pursuit speed and does a good job of avoiding speed bumps. When he arrives, he’s not a heavy hitter, but he is a reliable tackler. The Illinois defensive back was flagged with just seven missed tackles over the past two seasons.
“He seems to be solid,” Asmussen said. “He likes contact and was used on blitzes. He has a high number of quarterback hurries for a defensive back.”
Aside from the versatility that he would bring to a secondary, Martin also brings special teams value. During his time at Illinois, Martin logged 314 snaps on special teams.
Fit with the Packers
Adrian Amos is set to be a free agent. That leaves Darnell Savage Jr as the only safety on the roster with any notable experience. The Packers need to address the safety position this offseason, regardless if Amos is re-signed or not.
With his ability to wear multiple hats, Martin could make for an attractive option. Martin can play the slot, which could allow the Packers to play Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes on the boundary. This would free up the Packers to experiment with playing Rasul Doulgas at safety.
Another possibility is they draft Martin and play him at free safety and let Savage man the slot position. In that scenario, the Packers could still try Douglas at safety and have Stokes, and Alexander on the boundary with Savage in the slot.
The more a player can do, the better, and Martin is capable of playing multiple roles. On top of that, he could be an immediate contributor on special teams.
“He has played a lot of quality football in the Big Ten with two coaches with NFL experience,” Asmussen said. “Lovie Smith got him going in the right direction and Bielema helped make him better and more pro-ready. To me, he has the ability to play in the league for many years.”
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