2014 NFL Draft - Round 1 - Zack Martin - OT/OG - Notre Dame

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Overview

Won a pair of state championships at Indianapolis Bishop Chatard. Redshirted in 2009. Started all 13 games in '10, including 11 at left tackle and two at right tackle. Started all 39 games at LT 2011-13. Two-time captain's 52 career games are the most in school history. Did not run the 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine (tight hamstring).

Analysis
Strengths
Engages quickly. Flexible and light on his feet. Can work his hips and maneuver. Good blocking posture -- bends his knees, sits in his stance and can shuffle, slide and mirror. Good hand placement (can pop and recoil). Seals running lanes. Can combo block and fit on linebackers. Athletic to pull and trap. Passes off stunts and is alert to blitzers. Started every game of his career. Played well against Alabama in the BCS Championship and was MVP of the Pinstripe Bowl. Sparkling intangibles. Highly respected, hardworking leader who does all the right things.

Weaknesses
Lacks ideal length to stay outside in the pros -- relatively small wingspan. Not a pure road grader who rolls off flat-backed and buries defenders. Could be stressed by bigger, more powerful defensive tackles. Can improve balance and sustain on the second level. Does not have experience at guard. Could stand to bulk up in preparation for a move inside.

Draft Projection
Round 1

Bottom Line
Athletic, smart, competitive, dependable college left tackle whose length dictates a move inside, where he has plug-and-play ability in a zone-blocking scheme. One of the cleanest prospects in this year's draft.

 

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STRENGTHS: Very good at keeping his feet underneath him while keeping his butt low to handle both speed and power. He does play with good quickness (but not explosiveness) off the snap, showing knee bend and core strength to anchor, as well as the lateral agility to mirror more athletic defenders.

He also shows better athleticism than you might think when blocking on the move, demonstrating above average straight-line speed to get to the second level, as well as the nastiness to bury his target into the ground.

WEAKNESSES: With less than ideal length and lateral range, Martin's NFL future may lie inside at guard, where he never played in college. The move to guard is necessary because Martin does not possess great height, arm length or foot speed. He chucks his way back (rather than sliding) for an effective if not aesthetically-pleasing form of pass protection.

COMPARIES TO: Logan Mankins, OG, New England Patriots - Mankins has been one of the NFL's most valuable offensive linemen since being selected by New England in the first round of the 2005 draft, and has anchored the Patriots' front line with top-notch instincts, toughness and versatility despite lacking elite athleticism. Martin exhibits many of the same traits, and should draw first-round consideration.

 

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[video=youtube;lSpEJs4QAtY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSpEJs4QAtY[/video]

 

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[video=youtube;-iqHDBcc54g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iqHDBcc54g[/video]

 

[Midswat]

Like the selection. Props to the front office.

You could tell they wanted to get cute though with a trade or something the way they almost let the clock run out.

 

[boozeman]

Like the selection. Props to the front office.

You could tell they wanted to get cute though with a trade or something the way they almost let the clock run out.

Pretty safe pick. But I laughed when I heard Garrett rambling on about how the OL and controlling the football by running was important.

 

[junk]

The Dallas Cowboys have finished 8-8 in each of the last three seasons in part because they haven’t fulfilled the necessary vision of restocking from the lines out. They endeavored to do this last year by picking center Travis Frederick in the first round, and were panned for it because many had Frederick pegged as a third-round prospect. And with the first-round pick in this draft, Dallas went back to the well the right way and took Notre Dame tackle Zack Martin.

It’s entirely possible that Martin will slip inside to guard at the next level, and that’s where he fits best as an NFL player.

Strengths: Outstanding drive blocker who rises up from a three-point stance quickly, gets his hands inside the defender and uses leverage to push people back. Excellent upper-body strength, which he uses to get his hands forward and in a striking position to keep opponents on their side of the line. Finished his blocks by lifting defenders off their own power. Understands combo blocks and can peel off his first defender to help with a second defender seamlessly and with no trouble. Keeps a low center of gravity and places his feet properly to give himself a wide base. Good speed to the second level when asked to block in space, and Martin has an excellent sense for his targets — if he whiffs, it’s generally more about lack of speed than any awareness issues.

Weaknesses: In pass pro, Martin’s kick slide is a work in progress — he’s more choppy than smooth with his steps. Establishes protection against turning pass-rushers more with technique than fluidity, and can be susceptible to defenders who change directions quickly. Needs an extra split second to come out of his stance to the outside, and you’ll occasionally see speed rushers blow right by him. In a general sense, better when blocking people in front of him than to either side — plays best in the proverbial phone booth. Hasn’t pulled a lot, which he’ll have to do if he switches to guard in the NFL, but seems to have the skills to do so.

Grade: B. Is Martin as a guard worthy of a mid-first round pick? That’s debatable. But over and over on tape, Martin shows that he’s a true ass-kicker, with a fiery mentality and tremendous upper-body strength. He’ll have to get comfortable with a few new things, but he wouldn’t be the first college tackle to kick inside – and he may wind up as one of the best.

 

[Jon88]

Pretty safe pick. But I laughed when I heard Garrett rambling on about how the OL and controlling the football by running was important.

Unless we're playing Green Bay? :confused

 

[junk]

Pretty safe pick. But I laughed when I heard Garrett rambling on about how the OL and controlling the football by running was important.

He said that? Clown.

Martin is Marshall Yanda, I think. He gets comparisons to Mankins, but he reminds me of Yanda. Maybe just because he's a guy that can play tackle for you, but is probably better at guard.

 

[boozeman]

He said that? Clown.

Martin is Marshall Yanda, I think. He gets comparisons to Mankins, but he reminds me of Yanda. Maybe just because he's a guy that can play tackle for you, but is probably better at guard.

I have seen more than one pundit compare him to Logan Mankins.

 

[peplaw06]

Good pick.

Safe pick.

No flash.

Everything I never thought Jerry would do. I'm not entirely sure he wanted to do it, and it probably took some convincing from someone, but it's probably exactly what he should have done. The top 15 played out about as bad as we could hope for, but we didn't panic and made a solid pick. Maybe it could have been better, but I don't doubt Martin is going to help.

 

[dbair1967]

Zack Martin an Olin Kreutz-type leader

May, 9, 2014
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys loved everything about Zack Martin, which is why they made him the 16th pick in the NFL draft's first round on Thursday.

The Notre Dame offensive lineman started 52 games, including 50 at left tackle. He will play guard for the Cowboys in 2014 with the possibility of moving to tackle in the future. He was a two-year captain. He was even the MVP of the New Era Pinstripe Bowl.

ESPN’s Notre Dame blogger Matt Fortuna offers up this post about Martin:
Perhaps no greater compliment has been paid to Zack Martin than these words from Notre Dame offensive line coach Harry Hiestand, formerly of the Chicago Bears:

"The best leader I've ever been around is Olin Kreutz from the Bears, and Zack's in that category. Zack's in that conversation. Zack brings it every day."

Hiestand said that before Martin's senior season and pre-draft workouts, which have only strengthened his status among pro teams looking for strong play up front. "Sure thing" has been a phrased often used lately to describe Martin, and his college career reflects that: He won the Irish's top offensive lineman award four straight years. He was a two-time captain. He set the school record for starts, with 52 in a row. At 6-foot-4, 308 pounds, he could play inside, but NFL teams drafting him so high would probably be wise to play him at his natural position.

His synergy with fellow linemen — especially on combo blocks — was impressive throughout 2013, especially considering he was one of only two Irish linemen to start all 13 games. What's more impressive is the fact that his quarterback, the non-mobile Tommy Rees, was sacked just eight times in 2013. Or the fact that Notre Dame was the only team in 2013 to hold prized prospect Aaron Donald without a tackle for loss.

People around the program loved to talk about Martin's dependability, and how that belied just how good of a player he was. The past four months have allowed the rest of the football world to see that for themselves.

 

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Who does he replace? Leary or Bernadeau?

 

[dbair1967]

Probably Bernadeau

 

[Bob Sacamano]

At first when I read about it this morning, I was like, "eww Zach Martin". Just a natural reaction because he's a guard type and that I had my heart set on either Donald or Shazier there.

But I like the pick. I looked at his measurable, and he's pretty explosive and quick. Had something like a 4.53 short shuttle, nearly a 30" vert and almost a 110" long jump. He'll fit nicely in a zone scheme.

Pretty funny how no Cowboy fans were pimping him like they were DeCastro, and he went higher.

 

[CobraKai]

Hopefully we actually make use of these resources along the oline. Our running game was already bomb when we actually went with it. I mean rule 1 if your defense sucks....shorten the game.

But we go get Linehan so idk.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I like the comment from Rob Rang that he can handle both speed and power. Speed is something that Leary really struggled against.

 

[CobraKai]

I've heard similar things about your mom.

 

[dbair1967]

Cobrapunk, I think I may have to report you forum authorities

 

[NoShame]

Woulda loved Shazier here.. Sucks he went one pick before us.

But definitely love the fact that we stayed with fixing the trenches. Not gonna lie, it woulda been hard passing up on Johnny football if I was GM. Props to jerry for avoiding temptation.