Washington Commanders safety Quan Martin was not drafted by the current regime. As a highly touted second-round pick from the 2023 draft class, though, new head coach Dan Quinn created a 2024 role for the Illinois star.
And now, after two years with the team, Martin's job with the Commanders appears to be set. And it's made him more of the more underrated players not just in Washington, but around the league as well.
NFL.com writer Gennaro Filice listed Commanders defensive back Martin as the team's most underappreciated player, with high hopes of Pro Bowl potential for the 25-year-old. ...
Helpedm maybe, by the fact he came from a program that had a strong history of quality defensive backs.
"While we’re talking about underappreciated players, how about an underappreciated NFL pipeline? The Illinois secondary has churned out a bevy of ballers in recent years," Filice wrote. "The 2021 draft brought Nate Hobbs, who established himself as one of the game’s better nickelbacks in Las Vegas before signing a $48 million deal with Green Bay in March. The 2022 draft offered Kerby Joseph, who just signed an extension with Detroit that made him the highest-paid safety in league history.
"And then the 2023 draft provided a trio of talents: Devon Witherspoon (a Pro Bowler in each of his first two seasons), Sydney Brown (a projected starter for the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles) and Jartavius Quan Martin."
Martin is expected to be a starter for the Commanders going into the 2025 season - especially since Jeremy Chinn is no longer on the roster.
If he can continue along his current trajectory, the Commanders might just see their defense continue to grow into one of the best in the league.