In order to choose defensive tackle Brodric Martin of Western Kentucky in the third round of the April draft, the Detroit Lions had to trade back up. Martin was considered a late-round selection by most, and he was even taken aback when he received the call from the Lions just as he was ready to move his draft party to Day 3.
When Martin was drafted, it was reasonable—and not a bad thing—to refer to him as a developmental prospect. The young player needed to improve on certain things, according to defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who also mentioned the advantages of practicing against one of the NFL’s top offensive
It was therefore not shocking that Martin, who played a total of 28 defensive snaps in his first season, was ultimately a healthy scratch for all but three games. In an ideal world, a top-100 pick would have yielded more in his first season, but the Lions had no intention of pressing him into duty.
Next season, Martin should play a bigger part and have more time to practice in training camp and the offseason. In an interview with the Detroit Lions podcast prior to his rookie season, Martin said he still needed to improve his overall play strength and pad level. This offseason, being in better shape will undoubtedly be on everyone’s mind after weighing in at 330 pounds as a rookie.Recently, Tim Twentyman of Lions.com spoke with Martin. He discussed Alim McNeill, who made a significant effort to improve his physical condition at the start of his third season, and it paid off with a standout performance this year.
