Vols Football: Profiles on All New Defensive Signees

Justin Martin, Defensive Back

It was a longer-than-expected journey to college athletics for Justin Martin, but now he is finally with the Vols after a year in community college.

Justin Martin, a four-star JUCO corner out of Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, played high school football in Overton High School in Nashville, TN. But due to academic concerns, he had to play a year at junior college. Tennessee helped place him at NE Oklahoma A&M, and their help early on seems to have paid off.

Martin, much like Abernathy, is a versatile athlete who played running back a lot in high school. His lone JUCO season was his first year primarily as a cornerback, and he possesses great upside at the position. Martin also returned kicks, displaying dynamic speed and good vision.

At NE Oklahoma A&M, Martin record 24 tackles, 3 pass breakups, and forced a fumble. At 6-2, 190 lbs. Martin has superb size for a cornerback and has said he envisions himself as a “Richard Sherman type of corner” because of his size.

Obviously, comparing Martin to Sherman is extremely premature. But he certainly has the size, speed, and athleticism to compete immediately for a starting position in the fall.