College RB Damien Martinez, The U (1 Viewer)

[Ministry of Pain]

Cam Ward is not the only skill player that migrated from the Pacific Northwest to the Univ of Miami last season
Damien Martinez transferred from Oregon State where he did very well as a Freshman and Sophomore
Most people have completely overlooked this 6 foot 230+ lb beast
He's steady and I think he will be part of a tandem this year in the NFL
Not just Dynasty but I can see him making an immediate impact as a Rookie/Redraft should he land on the right team

Martinez is projected as a Day 3 selection, somebody is going to get a steal in rounds 4-5-6,
Damien is rated as perhaps the 10th best prospect in this RB class but I watched him a lot this past season and I think he can be difference maker next level
This guy is flying under the radar and I believe he fills a lot of teams needs for short yardage, HB that is more old school FB and can move the pile, could easily hit 8-10 TD rushing
Check out the receiving numbers, decent hands and high yds per catch, he's difficult to get on the ground

I doubt this thread will spark much conversation right now but once he lands and impresses in mini camps and July/Aug when the camp reports start, I expect his name to be mentioned in a good way

 

[Gatorade]

Not sure if he is a top 10 prospect this year, but on any other year he probably would be . That just shows how deep this RB class is

 

[Ministry of Pain]

4.51 speed is not blazing but when you add in his size and power, again there's a lot to like here
As @Gatorade is saying, in other years I easily could see him as a Top 5 prospect at his position, it's just a very deep class
I'm not sure where i have him ranked overall but perhaps more than 1/3 of NFL teams will find themselves a new RB with some upside in this draft class
Bad year for aging veteran RBs, too many prospects this year

 

[IHEARTFF]

He's another of the late round RBs that I like and am very interested in landing spot/depth chart ahead of them

 

[rockaction]

PFF loves him. I forget what stats or grades, so don't quote me, but I think they sure love themselves some Damien Martinez. Well, maybe not so much. They have him as the 11th-rated back, 101 on the big board.

 

[Faust]

2025 NFL Draft scouting report: Damien Martinez, RB, Miami (FL)

Damien Martinez NFL Draft 2025: Scouting Report for Miami RB

 

[Faust]

Kent Lee Platte
Damien Martinez is a RB prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 9.35 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 126 out of 1935 RB from 1987 to 2025.

Pro day pending for remaining tests.

ras.football/ras-informatio…

https://x.com/mathbomb/status/1899598368592064988?s=61

 

[Faust]

Warren Sharp
Damien Martinez:

a TOUGH interior runner

4.4 yards after contact

#2 in class behind only Ashton Jeanty

only 8.2% of runs were stuffed

#1 in class

6.7 YPC in runs between tackles

#2 in class

37% of runs gained a 1st down

#3 in class

https://x.com/sharpfootball/status/1901314737901838466?s=61

When Martinez did get to run against light fronts, he posted 7.9 yards per rush, trailing only Kaleb Johnson, TreVeyon Henderson, and Ashton Jeanty

more on Damien Martinez’s prospects at the NFL level:

https://x.com/sharpfootball/status/1901763185146818610?s=61

 

[Faust]

Jacob Gibbs
Damien Martinez.

https://x.com/jagibbs_23/status/1904201754998169709?s=61

Jacob Gibbs
RBs drafted Round 5 or higher since 2017 that hit the following thresholds:

+ Rushing success rate above 55%
+ Yards after contact per rush above 4.00

(Damien Martinez projected to join this group)

https://x.com/jagibbs_23/status/1900558552487317580?s=61

Scott Barrett
This is THE Damien Martinez play (that gave me priapism)

https://x.com/scottbarrettdfb/status/1904204185727312043?s=61

Jacob Gibbs
Yards after contact king. Absolute dawg.

Outcome will of course depend on opportunity, but Damien Martinez profiles as a truly elite rusher.

Patience, creativity, and pacing creates yards before contact. And he’s a powerhouse after contact.

https://x.com/jagibbs_23/status/1904204871789658484?s=61

 

[Faust]

NFL Draft Files
Damien Martinez is pure POWER

He averages 4.46 yards after contact per carry, 2nd in the class behind only Ashton Jeanty.

He’s also surprisingly quick at times; look at the evasiveness in some of these clips.

He might just be my RB6

x.com

x.com

Benjamin Solak
Miami RB Damien Martinez

No wasted movement when changing direction. Always has smart feet and often surprises defenders with his explosiveness for his size. Finishes runs through contact for dirty yardage.

Fun bruiser.

https://x.com/benjaminsolak/status/1903293265022980289?s=61

Zach Hicks
Damien Martinez is the ideal rotational running back for the Colts. Indy wants to live in 11 personnel with bigger backs running into lighter boxes.

Martinez is in a similar size mold as Trey Sermon/Zack Moss but offers more juice and upside

https://x.com/zachhicks2/status/1904291888045388234?s=61

Billy M
Damien Martinez's ability to stay patient while pressing the hole, then cutting and accelerating are my favorite traits. He will either out run you or run through you at the 2nd level

https://x.com/billym_91/status/1898340983223288233?s=61

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Warren Sharp
Damien Martinez:

a TOUGH interior runner

4.4 yards after contact

#2 in class behind only Ashton Jeanty

only 8.2% of runs were stuffed

#1 in class

6.7 YPC in runs between tackles

#2 in class

37% of runs gained a 1st down

#3 in class

https://x.com/sharpfootball/status/1901314737901838466?s=61

When Martinez did get to run against light fronts, he posted 7.9 yards per rush, trailing only Kaleb Johnson, TreVeyon Henderson, and Ashton Jeanty

more on Damien Martinez’s prospects at the NFL level:

https://x.com/sharpfootball/status/1901763185146818610?s=61

I appreciate this, I figured my "U" bias might have me wearing rose colored glasses here
Others have mentioned he's on the very edge of a Top 100 prospect on PFF
Yet he's being ranked 10th in this RB class

He's one of the RB prospects I expect to enter a somewhat crowded backfield whoever drafts him
I am more concerned he's drafted by a team that has an OL and some other weapons, injuries pop up all the time in the NFL
He might be 3rd on the depth chart Week 1 but by week 8 things could look much different.

 

[rockaction]

I like his running style. He's not going to hit home runs necessarily, but he'll gain quite a bit of yardage and get goal-line carries. He's good for a non-PPR league. He projects as an early-down and goal-line back.

I think a 4.51 is really good given his style. I wonder what GPS says about him. I'll be looking at him for sure in later rounds if I can scrounge some picks.

 

[Hankmoody]

He runs like a Kyle Shanahan RB is designed to, calling my shot SFO at 100

 

[rockaction]

He runs like a Kyle Shanahan RB is designed to, calling my shot SFO at 100

I love the shot call but he lacks long speed. Shanahan's RBs hit the crease and go go go to the house. Guerendo is a perfect back for Shanahan once CMC is done. But I still like that you've got SF picking a running back at the century mark.

 

[rockaction]

104.9 speed score according to Player Profiler, which would put him at about the 80th percentile. His jumps (burst score) put him in the 66th percentile.

Not bad overall, especially the speed score.

 

[Hankmoody]

I love the shot call but he lacks long speed. Shanahan's RBs hit the crease and go go go to the house. Guerendo is a perfect back for Shanahan once CMC is done. But I still like that you've got SF picking a running back at the century mark.

Not debating Guerrendo is a great fit, or perhaps better, just noting that Martinez is the same guy. Shanahan's RBs hit the crease and just go. That's Martinez's game. From above:

Jacob Gibbs
Yards after contact king. Absolute dawg.

Outcome will of course depend on opportunity, but Damien Martinez profiles as a truly elite rusher.

Patience, creativity, and pacing creates yards before contact. And he’s a powerhouse after contact.

https://x.com/jagibbs_23/status/1904204871789658484?s=61

Billy M

@BillyM_91


Damien Martinez's ability to stay patient while pressing the hole, then cutting and accelerating are my favorite traits. He will either out run you or run through you at the 2nd level

https://x.com/billym_91/status/1898340983223288233

Guerrendo's 10 yard split was 1.55 at his combine. Martinez was 1.56 so their initial size and accelleration are very similar.

 

[Faust]

Matt Harmon
Both @FourVerts and I think that Damien Martinez is a name you need to know in this deep RB class.

https://x.com/mattharmon_byb/status/1907940421084524665?s=61

 

[Faust]

Reel Analytics
Miami’s Damien Martinez (@damienfor6) is a long-striding back with open-field juice and breakaway potential.

IGA Score®: 88.1 (88th percentile)
Max Speed: 21.2 mph (88th percentile)

Build-up speed pairs with fluid hips and a physical finish. Can flip the field in one cut and punish soft secondaries.

#IGAScore #NFLDraft

https://x.com/raanalytics/status/1908874826334294365?s=61