UW Roster Review, No. 2-99: A&M Transfer Martin Starts Over with Huskies

Jeremiah Martin joined the University of Washington football program just in the nick of time. Like a spare tire, he was ready to be pulled from the trunk when needed. It didn't take long.

A Texas A&M transfer, Martin was in a Husky uniform for six spring practices when fellow outside linebacker Zion Tupuola-Fetui, a returning first-team All-Pac-12 selection and team headliner, ruptured his Achilles heel and likely was lost for the season.

All of a sudden, the 6-foot-3, 265-pound senior from San Bernardino, California, was part of the immediate solution. He could help fill the void left by ZTF, plus wind up his college football career in a much more satisfactory manner.

While a 4-star recruit pursued by several Power 5 programs, including Washington, Martin spent three seasons at Texas A&M coming off the bench and playing special teams.

He showed up ready to be more of a difference-maker for the Huskies, studying hard to make sure he knew all of the responsibilities for both weakside and strongside outside linebacker positions.

"He's obviously gifted, very athletic, very powerful," UW outside linebacker coach Ikaika Malloe said. "He's learned both positions, strong and weak, so he's definitely come in to compete."

Martin wears No. 9, which previously belonged to outside linebacker Joe Tryon, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' first-round draft pick, and shares it with UW starting quarterback Dylan Morris.

Going down the roster in numerical order, this is another of our post-spring assessments of all of the Husky talent at hand, gleaned from a month of observations, as a way to keep everyone engaged during the offseason.

🏁 https://t.co/fjMNDZIoAR
— Jeremiah Martin (@IAmJM_) April 23, 2021

Martin had one of the most eye-opening plays of spring practice. Dropping back in coverage against touted freshman quarterback Sam Huard, the defender reached up with one hand and deflected a pass straight up in the air, caught it and took off running 60 yards in the opposite direction.

As he should know, a starting job is no certainty at the UW any more than it was at Texas A&M. But at least he gets a fresh start in Seattle.

The Huskies will open with returning starter and sixth-year senior Ryan Bowman entrenched on one side at outside linebacker and sift through a host of candidates, among them redshirt freshman Sav'ell Smalls, sophomore Bralen Trice, redshirt freshman Jordan Lolohea, redshirt freshman Carson Bruener and Martin, to find the other.

"He's already 260, working his way to 270, and that's a big body, kind of like Zion, playing in space," Malloe said of the newcomer from Texas. "He's pretty gifted. That's what I thought he could bring to the table, so we're not all defensive-end-minded people. He can play both."

Martin will tell he just wants to play, and play a lot.

Martin's 2021 Outlook: Projected outside-linebacker starter

A&M Service Time: Played in 32 games, no starts

Stats: 11 tackles, 3 TFL

Individual Honors: None

Pro prospects: NFL middle-round draft pick

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