Kamal Adrian Martin (born June 17, 1998) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Minnesota, and was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL draft. He also played for the Carolina Panthers.
![]() Martin with the Carolina Panthers in 2021 | |||||
No. 54, 47 | |||||
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Position: | Linebacker | ||||
Personal information | |||||
Born: | Burnsville, Minnesota, U.S. | June 17, 1998||||
Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||
Weight: | 240 lb (109 kg) | ||||
Career information | |||||
High school: | Burnsville | ||||
College: | Minnesota (2016–2019) | ||||
NFL draft: | 2020 / Round: 5 / Pick: 175 | ||||
Career history | |||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||
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Player stats at PFR |
Early life
editMartin was born and grew up in Burnsville, Minnesota and attended Burnsville High School, where he played quarterback and safety on the football team. He was named first-team All-State by the Associated Press as an all-purpose performer after completing 63 of 117 passes for 877 yards and nine touchdowns with one interception and rushing 400 yards and eight touchdowns on offense and recording 79 tackles, two forced fumbles, one interception and 13 pass breakups on defense.[1]
College career
editMartin played mostly as a reserve linebacker as a freshman, playing in all 13 of Minnesota's games with one start and 10 tackles and one interception.[2] He became a starter going into his sophomore season and finished the year with 42 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss, one interception, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.[3] As a junior he made 59 tackles, including tackles 3.5 for loss, and two passes broken up in twelve games but did not play in the team's bowl game due to a violation of team rules.[4] Martin's senior season was cut short after eight games due to injury, but he was named honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference after making 66 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles.[5]
Professional career
editHeight | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 ft 2+7⁄8 in (1.90 m) |
240 lb (109 kg) |
34 in (0.86 m) |
10+1⁄8 in (0.26 m) | |||||||||
All values from NFL Combine |
Green Bay Packers
editThe Green Bay Packers selected Martin in the fifth round (175th overall) of the 2020 NFL draft.[6] He signed his rookie contract on July 9, 2020.[7] On September 2, 2020, it was reported that Martin had undergone surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee and would be out for at least six weeks.[8] The Packers placed him on injured reserve on September 7.[9] The Packers activated him off injured reserve on October 24, 2020.[10] He made his NFL debut the following day against the Houston Texans, recording six solo tackles (including one for loss) during the 35–20 victory.[11] Martin was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the team on November 3, 2020,[12] and activated six days later.[13] On November 29, 2020, Martin recorded his first career sack on Mitchell Trubisky during a Week 12 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football.[14]
On August 23, 2021, Martin was released by the Packers.[15]
Carolina Panthers
editOn September 10, 2021, Martin was signed to the practice squad of the Carolina Panthers.[16] He was promoted to the active roster on October 4, 2021.[17] He was waived on August 14, 2022,[18] and was placed on injured reserve the next day.[19] He was released on August 20.
NFL career statistics
editRegular season
editYear | Team | GP | GS | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Solo | Ast | Sck | SFTY | PDef | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TDs | FF | FR | ||||
2020 | GB | 10 | 6 | 20 | 13 | 7 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 10 | 6 | 20 | 13 | 7 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Source: NFL.com |
Postseason
editYear | Team | GP | GS | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Solo | Ast | Sck | SFTY | PDef | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TDs | FF | FR | ||||
2020 | GB | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Source: pro-football-reference.com |
References
edit- ^ Schardin, Tom (July 26, 2019). "Big final season ahead for former Blaze". swnewsmedia.com.
- ^ Ruane, Blake (April 24, 2017). "Ranking the Top 10 Minnesota Football players". TheDailyGopher.com. SB Nation.
- ^ "Gophers linebacker Kamal Martin expects turnaround". Star Tribune. August 9, 2018.
- ^ "Gophers linebacker Kamal Martin suspended, doesn't make trip to Detroit". Star Tribune. December 26, 2018.
- ^ "Gopher linebacker Kamal Martin's emotional ride continues into NFL Draft". West Central Tribune. April 24, 2020.
- ^ "2020 NFL Draft: Packers select Minnesota LB Kamal Martin in fifth round, No. 175 overall". packers.com. April 25, 2020. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ "Packers sign LB Kamal Martin". packers.com. July 9, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
- ^ Demovsky, Rob (September 2, 2020). "Source: Packers rookie Kamal Martin has surgery on knee, to miss at least six weeks". ESPN. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
- ^ "Packers announce roster moves". Packers.com. September 7, 2020. Archived from the original on September 7, 2020. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- ^ "Packers announce roster moves". Packers.com. October 24, 2020.
- ^ Kruse, Zach (October 26, 2020). "Packers 'really encouraged' by debut of rookie LB Kamal Martin vs. Texans". USA Today. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
- ^ "Packers place two players on reserve/COVID-19 list". Packers.com. November 3, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
- ^ Williams, Charean (November 9, 2020). "Packers remove Kamal Martin, Jamaal Williams from COVID-19 list". NBCSports.com. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
- ^ "Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers – November 29th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
- ^ "Packers place S Will Redmond on IR, trade CB Ka'dar Hollman to Texans". Packers.com. August 24, 2021.
- ^ Gantt, Darin (September 10, 2021). "Panthers add linebacker to practice squad". Panthers.com.
- ^ Gantt, Darin (October 4, 2021). "Kamal Martin signed to active roster from practice squad". Panthers.com.
- ^ Gantt, Darin (August 14, 2022). "Panthers waive five players". Panthers.com.
- ^ Ulrich, Logan (August 15, 2022). "Panthers LB Kamal Martin Reverts To IR". NFLTradeRumors.co.