NFLsFuture.com

Doug Martin

Boise St.

Ht. 5-9 Wt. 210

Inside Running:  Doug Martin is a short back with a thick lower body.  He runs with a low center of gravity and is tough to wrap up.  Between his center of gravity and balance, Martin is a tough runner between the tackles.  Martin often gains extra yards because his legs are always churning and moving the pile.

Outside Running:  Martin won’t be breaking many 80-yard runs.  He doesn’t possess the second gear to hit the homerun.  What’s impressive about him is his ability to move laterally without losing much speed.    He won’t time well in the 40 yard dash but he should be impressive in the cones.  He has a great burst.

Hands:  Martin didn’t catch a ton of passes at Boise but he’s got fairly average hands.  He won’t be a liability in the pass game but he’s not a guy that will make a ton of plays.

Blocking/Durability:  Martin has all the tools to be a solid blocker in the NFL.  His instincts are really good in picking up blitzes, he just needs work on technique.  Martin has never suffered any major or nagging injuries in his career.  Durability shouldn’t be a concern at the next level as he looks like he can carry the football 20-25 times a game with ease.

Bottom Line:  Doug Martin is one of my favorite RB prospects in this draft.  His intangibles are through the roof.  He’s a Ray Rice type prospect that could wind up a steal if he slides out of the second round.  He lacks top end athleticism at the position but makes up for it with good vision and instincts.

Draft Projection:  Martin will be a very good value for someone in the second round of April’s draft.  For my money, I would take him behind Richardson and Miller and ahead of Wilson and Polk.