Former Illinois football star Quan Martin selected in second round by Washington Commanders
Senior defensive back Jartavius Martin locks eyes with his Michigan State opponent during the Dads day game on Nov. 5. Martin was drafted to the Washing Commanders during the second round of NFL drafts on Friday.
April 28, 2023
Former Illinois defensive back Jartavius “Quan” Martin has been selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft by the Washington Commanders with the 47th overall pick. Martin was the second Illini to get pulled up to the pros and selected in the 2023 NFL draft, with teammate Devon Witherspoon being selected fifth overall yesterday.
Martin was recruited by the Illini as a safety but started at corner in his 2018 freshman campaign; however, he was moved back to safety in 2021, the position he played the rest of his time in orange and blue.
A three-star recruit from Lehigh Acres, Florida, Martin was a team captain for Illinois at the ReliaQuest Bowl. Martin led the Illini defense in solo tackles, with 51. Additionally, the second-team All-Big Ten safety accrued three tackles for loss, three interceptions and 11 pass breakups.
Following his fourth season with the Illini in 2021, Martin requested the opportunity for an extra season of eligibility which was granted by the NCAA due to the unique circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision proved worthy for Martin, as his impressive part in the Illinois defense put him on the radar of several NFL organizations.
Along with that, Martin was a human highlight reel at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Amongst all safeties, Martin had the highest vertical jump at 44 inches, was the third fastest in the 40-yard dash, at 4.46 seconds and fastest in the 10-yard split, at 1.47 seconds.
