Oklahoma State LB Nick Martin Highlighted by East-West Shrine Bowl Director
Last year, Oklahoma State linebacker Nick Martin had one of the top performances of any Cowboys' defender in recent memory.
The Texarkana, TX, product racked up 140 tackles, the most by any OSU player since 1984, to go along with 16 tackles for loss, six sacks and two interceptions.
Martin's outstanding redshirt sophomore season earned the Pokes' star First Team All-Big 12 and Phil Steele Forth Team All-American honors in 2023.
Now, heading into the 2024 season, Martin's play has put the redshirt junior on the radar of NFL talent evaluators.
In a recent social media post, East-West Shrine Bowl Director of Football Operations Eric Galko praised Martin, saying the Oklahoma State star will stand out to NFL coaches during the scouting process.
"In this year’s draft, we expect (OSU) linebacker Nick Martin quickly becomes a favorite of NFL defensive coordinators like he already is for scouts on the road," Galko wrote. "For the Oklahoma State Defense, his high-end combination of magnetic anticipation and square-to-contact tackling led to his elite tackling production in 2023. ... He utilizes his high-end twitch to slip blocks and penetrate, quick hands to deconstruct, and shows knock back power stacking in the hole. Martin has sideline to sideline range & a hot motor with the ability to close distance suddenly, and strikes with above average stopping power.
Smart, tough, and dependable encapsulates Martin's skill set, and he’s slated to not just produce another 140-level tackle season at Oklahoma State, but be among the most immediate impact NFL linebackers in the 2025 draft class."
When NFL coaches get involved in the draft process, they can look for different traits that scouts, and DCs and LB Coaches covet defenders with a nose for the ball and a high football intelligence.
— Eric Galko (@EricGalko) August 16, 2024
In this year’s draft, we expect @CowboyFB linebacker Nick Martin… pic.twitter.com/SjV141ZkMb
With Martin's running mate at linebacker, Collin Oliver, also back in Stillwater after a solid 2023 campaign, Bryan Nardo and company should have a solid defense in 2024 led by a strong linebacker duo.
The East-West Shrine Bowl is a collegiate All-Star event designed for players who have declared for the NFL Draft to showcase their skills in front of professional scouts and coaches, similar to the Senior Bowl.
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RANDALL SWEET