Not Opting Out, But Martin Declares NFL Intentions — Because They're Real

The edge rusher went 42 games as a college player before starting his first outing.

Jeremiah Martin recently tweeted out a fancy graphic of himself in three different University of Washington football poses, ending this post with the announcement he would be entering his name in the NFL draft.

OK.

After checking with the school to make sure he wasn't opting out of the bowl game, we wondered why he felt it necessary to announce something that was so obvious.

And then it made perfect sense: Two years ago, when Martin transferred from Texas A&M to Washington, the edge rusher was far from a pro football prospect at that time.

The 6-foot-4, 267-pound Californian played three seasons in College Station and appeared in 32 games — but none as a starter. For his SEC team, he pulled just reserve duty and special-teams assignments. 

He had zero sacks for the Aggies, not a strong selling point to the NFL.

For his initial season in Seattle in 2021, while playing for Jimmy Lake's staff, Martin continued down the same track. He went the first 10 games without a sack until coming up with one at Colorado by dropping the quarterback for a six-yard loss. He went 11 games without starting for the Huskies before interim coach Bob Gregory put him in the opening lineup for the Apple Cup against Washington State.

One start and one sack still wasn't going to get NFL scouts all lathered up about him.

Enter Kalen DeBoer's coaching staff, which includes tough-minded edge-rushing coach Eric Schmidt and the extra persuasive strength and conditioning coach Ron McKeefery, and Martin finally realized all of that vast potential projected for him.

Martin wasn't delinquent before with his football career. He did all that was asked at Texas A&M and at the UW last season. Yet he learned if you want to be an NFL player, you have to do a lot more. His new coaches were able to impress that on him.

"I put in the work, but I was young-minded," he said. "Once you get older, you understand a lot more. Looking back on the past, I don't dwell on it, but I try to keep going and keep growing as a person, as a father and as a public figure."

A lot of hard work later, Martin's football response this season: first-team All-Pac-12 honors, 12 starts, 8.5 sacks (third in the conference) and so far mid-round draft potential. 

So the fact he's entering the NFL draft is realistic now, a moment to celebrate, reason to post that upbeat disclosure.

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