Why Brodric Martin Could Be Game-Changer for Lions' Defense

Lions' Brodric Martin has a chance to be vastly improved in 2024.

Brodric Martin / Junfu Han, USA TODAY NETWORK

Perhaps no one from Detroit's 2023 draft class enters the 2024 season with more to prove than defensive lineman Brodric Martin. 

Martin, the Lions’ second-of-two third-round picks a year ago (No. 96 overall), spent the majority of his rookie campaign on the inactives list as a healthy scratch. The Western Kentucky product suited up for only three games, and made a minimal impact. He finished the season with just three total tackles and a 57.1 overall Pro Football Focus grade. 

The 2023 season was very much a developmental one for the small-school talent. He spent the bulk of it learning how to play on the defensive line at the NFL level. 

“Man, just coming from where he did in college and understanding exactly how he has to play in this league. The one thing I think that he had an issue with early is just being able to use his hands and understand how to use his hands," Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said about Martin late last season. "And, man, I tell him in practice, he’s doing a really good job of that.

“I mean, before practice, after practice, those are the things that Brodric is doing a really good job of to get himself on the field. And then, other than that, man, I’m a big believer in D-linemen being able to have lateral agility. And, he’s working his butt off, trying to work on those things, too.”

Coming out of college, Martin – a 6-foot-5, 330-pound lineman – profiled as a run-stuffing presence along the interior of the defensive line. 

He played a total of five collegiate seasons, with the first three coming at North Alabama. He then transferred to Western Kentucky for his final two years.

While with the Hilltoppers, Martin amassed 62 total tackles, including six for loss, and four sacks. Additionally, he was a 2022 Conference USA honorable mention and a 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl participant. 

Headed into the 2024 campaign, Martin is expecting to make a bigger impact. The immense-sized lineman has dedicated himself to getting into better playing shape this offseason, and has visibly reshaped his body. To get a glimpse of Martin's physical transformation, just take a look at this photo of him from last week's OTAs in Allen Park.

Our boy Brodric gonna eat this year 😤#OnePride | @DETPRIDE pic.twitter.com/BWX8byG4FB

— Joe Chapp (@DetroitJoeChapp) May 17, 2024

In Martin's eyes, he's taken a page out of fellow defensive lineman Alim McNeill's playbook for morphing into NFL shape. Just last offseason, McNeill made a commitment to altering his diet and trimmed his body fat, and it led to a breakout campaign for the N.C. State product in 2023. 

"It's a big transformation he made," Martin said of McNeill's physical transformation last offseason, via DetroitLions.com. "Going into Year 3, it was a huge transformation for him. Obviously made him a better player. So, it's something I'm definitely going to hone in on and try to do.”

Martin, who logged a total of just 28 defensive snaps in his debut NFL season, has a chance at having a bigger role in Detroit's defensive line room this upcoming season. While he won't come anywhere close to cutting into McNeill's and offseason acquisition D.J. Reader's snap counts, he has a legitimate shot at being a quality reserve defensive tackle for the Lions.

And, if Martin's new-look frame is a sign of any sort, he should be in store for a vastly improved campaign in his second year as a pro.