Detroit Lions Roster Bubble Watch: UFL Standout Tay Martin
As the Detroit Lions roster bubble watch continues, Dan Campbell confirmed yesterday that the evaluation process in the Detroit Lions overcrowded wide receiver room is ongoing.
“Those are big, receivers still, (the) backend of that receiver room is still pretty big right now. So look, there’s still spots available.”
The 90-man training camp roster allows the coaching staff time to evaluate raw rookies in competition against tenured veterans. While it may be a long shot for UFL hopefuls and fringe candidates, it’s the opportunity they’ve dreamed of; a chance to prove themselves worthy of an NFL roster spot. While several spring specialists and defenders have ascended to the ranks of the NFL, it’s exceedingly rare for a wide receiver to make the cut. Most of the wide receivers signed to training camps aren’t going to survive the roster cutdown.
However, one talented UFL wide receiver continues to draw praise from the coaching staff and has a good chance of beating the odds to make the roster.
Detroit Lions Roster Bubble Watch: UFL Standout Tay Martin
Former Columbus Aviators’ standout Tay Martin, a 28-year-old Oklahoma State product who previously played for Washington State, and had limited NFL experience before his UFL success, might be the odds-on favorite to lock up the final wide receiver roster spot this weekend.
Martin, An NFL Opportunity With Detroit
In mid-June, Martin was one of the first UFL players signed to an NFL team. He’s had the luxury of spending the entire preseason with the Lions. Joining All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown and two-time 1,000-plus yard receiver Jameson Williams, Martin had the opportunity to watch and learn from two of the NFLs elite talents.
In addition to St. Brown and Williams, the Lions have promising second-year talent Isaac TeSlaa and incoming veteran Greg Dortch, who will presumably be WR3 and WR4. That leaves five other receivers competing for the remaining one or maybe two spots.
Detroit also signed three other UFL wide receivers in June. Houston Gamblers’ Lawrence Keys III was released with an injury designation early on, but Louisville Kings’ wide receivers Lucky Jackson and Tarik Black have been tough competition. The three are also competing against Lions veteran receivers Tom Kennedy, Malik Cunningham, and second-year player Dominic Lovett. Earlier this week, NFL veteran Cedric Wilson Jr was released with a season-ending injury.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tay Martin (17) practices during training camp at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Monday, August 17, 2026
Not every talented UFL receiver has the skill set that translates to the NFL’s highly competitive landscape. One only has to look at Hakeem Butler, who, despite his unparalleled UFL success, has struggled to make an NFL roster. Earlier this week, Butler, the UFL’s most successful and prolific receiver with over 2,000 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns, was released from his third NFL team, the Denver Broncos.
Does Martin have what it takes to meet the challenging NFL requirements and successfully make the transition?
Coach Campbell acknowledges the fierce competition among the wide receivers. “That receiver room, this is the best receiver room we’ve had since I’ve been here in camp, top to bottom. I mean, those guys are gifted. It’s a really good crew, man. And they’re all pretty tough, they’re all a little bit different… the way they’re built. And every one of those guys has flashed on one day or another, has done something pretty damn good. So man, honestly, this thing’s up for grabs…special teams is going to have a huge factor…I’ll just give you an example. Tay Martin, man…he’s intriguing on offense, but he makes special teams plays every day. And that’s important to us.
Columbus Aviators wide receiver Tay Martin (81) celebrates in the second quarter of the UFL game at Historic Crew Stadium on Friday, May 1, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio.
Martin’s Background
A three-star high school prospect from Houma, LA, Martin was rated by ESPN as the 32nd overall prospect in Louisiana. Athletically gifted, he didn’t limit his sports to football. A four-year letter-winner in basketball and track, Martin was a three-time All-District First-Team selection in basketball and excelled as a track star in the high jump.
In college, Martin began his career at Washington State before transferring to Oklahoma State. He had a breakout season in 2021, posting 1,046 receiving yards on 80 catches with 10 receiving touchdowns that ranked 1st in the Big 12. Martin made the record books for OSU as the 10th player in school history to record a 1,000-yard season. He finished his collegiate career with 2,810 yards on 238 receptions with 28 touchdowns.
Martin’s Early NFL Experience
A UDFA who bounced around the NFL for several years before making his UFL debut with the Aviators, Martin initially signed with the San Francisco 49ers, spending time on their practice squad before signing with the Tennessee Titans. It was during his time in Tennessee that Martin made his NFL debut during Week 18 of the 2024 season. Catching a stunning 49-yard touchdown pass from Titans quarterback Will Levis, Martin’s NFL dreams seemed within reach.
However, the following spring, Martin suffered an undisclosed injury that landed him on IR. Released from Tennessee with an injury settlement, Martin was signed to the Washington Commanders practice squad in July of 2025. He appeared in three games for Washington before his October release.
Joining the UFL this past January, Martin was selected by the expansion Aviators in the 2026 UFL player draft. As the leading receiver for the Aviators, he compiled a record of 42 passes for 482 yards with two touchdowns in 10 games. His longest catch went for 52 yards.
Translating His Skills to the Field
During the first preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Martin played 30 snaps on offense (45%) and 7 snaps (28%) on special teams. He caught his only target at Cincinnati, a 14-yard reception. According to Pro Football Focus, he was Detroit’s highest-rated special teams player with a 79.9. In addition, on offense, Martin also did well as a run blocker, recording a 78.3.
Martin knows his ability to block in the run game is a trait the Lions value. In an interview with the Detroit News, Martin explained his approach to the run blocking game.
“The will, the mentality to go in there and do what you’ve got to do to get that guy out of there,” Martin said of what it takes to successfully block at receiver. “It’s me or him. Just going in there with that mentality to help my team as much as I can. When I’ve got a blocking play, I’m trying to do what I can for the team, any time I get that.”
After the Cincinnati game, Campbell was questioned whether any wide receivers stood out to distinguish themselves. “Yeah. That room right now is interesting. (Lions WR) Tay Martin showed up again, blocking, made a one-on-one catch, separated, special teams. He forced a penalty, and that was just one play on special teams. He made more than that….So, I mean, those guys, that room right now, it’s an all-out (battle) right now. So, it’s pretty exciting.”
Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp has also been impressed by Martin’s performance in camp. Asked who among the receivers has jumped out on film, he replied, “So, Tay Martin’s jumped off the film every day.”
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tay Martin (17) practices during training camp at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Monday, August 17, 2026
What Martin Brings to the Lions on Offense and Special Teams
NFLdraftbuzz.com profiled Martin as a player with good football speed and savvy route-running skills who can become a quarterback’s “best friend” with his talent for getting open and coming down with the ball. The profile noted that Martin was often used on deep routes, getting separation down the sideline**,** or over the middle on crossing routes by extending his arms rather than pure speed.
One negative was that he “needs to be more competitive in tight coverage.” At 6’3” 186 lbs., he was critiqued for his lanky frame. However, except for Black at 6’3” 213 lbs., Martin’s weight is comparable to Detroit’s other wide receivers.
So what does Martin offer to the Lions? In revealing what the last few roster decisions might come down to, Campbell stated that the choice might be based on those players who could contribute immediately versus a young player who could grow into the role.
In weighing the veterans against the younger players, Campbell said that it could come down to who can help the team win games now. “It’s one thing to say a year from now you have this. It’s another thing to say, yeah, OK, we can see that. But, more importantly, six weeks in, this guy’s going to be able to help us six weeks from now.”
He explained the trade-off may come down to whether “a player is really going to be able to help us and continue to grow… by the end of the year, they may be banking some pretty important reps that are going to be valuable for us on offense, defense, and probably special teams. That’s where it really comes into play…But if we think they can continue to grow throughout this season, and you take a couple of lumps early, it may be worth it. So, it is a constant; you are weighing the scales there.”
The Lions’ final preseason game is against the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday afternoon. Final roster cutdowns will be announced on Sunday, August 30th, at 6:00 pm EDT. If Martin has a good game this weekend and continues to make plays, he should see his name on the roster.
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