Stellar, Standard & Subpar: Kerry Martin Jr. in 2020

Taking a look at what type of season West Virginia cornerback Kerry Martin Jr. could have

As we inch closer and closer to the start of the 2020 season, we take an in-depth look at each player on the Mountaineer roster. In these breakdowns, we discuss what a stellar, standard, and subpar season would look like for them. We are going in numerical order, so today we turn to safety Kerry Martin Jr.

West Virginia's secondary was extremely young in 2019 and will be again this fall. However, the Mountaineers have a few guys who have a ton of potential to be playmakers such as Tykee Smith, Nicktroy Fortune, and Kerry Martin Jr.

In 2019, the Charleston, West Virginia native saw action in all 12 games and recorded 50 tackles, five pass breakups, and 2.5 tackles for loss. As a true freshman, he was the team's sixth-leading tackler, which is a pretty impressive feat.

Martin Jr. certainly has the ability to be a leader on the defense, especially with Hakeem Bailey, Keith Washington, and Josh Norwood now in the NFL. The Mountaineers will be looking for a guy that can direct things in the secondary alongside Tykee Smith and Martin seems to be that guy.

Stellar

A stellar season for Martin Jr. would see him not only become a full-time starter on the Mountaineer defense but become an impact player in the secondary. If he can put all the tools together, there's a good chance we see him have a big season in 2020.

Standard

Martin Jr. showed a lot of toughness and grit as a true freshman, but at times technique wasn't the greatest and had a few missed assignments. This isn't alarming because every true freshman goes through it. A normal season for him would mean he's one of the more talented players on the defense but isn't quite fully developed just yet.

Subpar

After a pretty impressive showing in his first year in the old gold and blue, taking a step back in his development would be the worst-case scenario here. Not winning a starting job or seeing his snap count per game reduced would likely mean he had a down season.

Previous Players

No. 1 - T.J. Simmons

No. 2 - Jarret Doege

No. 3 - Trent Jackson

No. 4 - Leddie Brown

No. 5 - Dreshun Miller

No. 10 - Dylan Tonkery

No. 11 - Nicktroy Fortune

No. 12 - Austin Kendall

No. 12 - Taijh Alston

No. 13 - Sam James

No. 13 - Jeffery Pooler

No. 14 - Malachi Ruffin

What kind of season are you expecting for Kerry Martin Jr. in 2020? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!

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Schuyler Callihan
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN

Publisher of Mountaineers Now on FanNation/Sports Illustrated. Lead recruiting expert and co-host of Between the Eers, Walk Thru GameDay Show, Mountaineers Now Postgame Show, and In the Gun Podcast.