Tennessee football: Top five non-SEC stars Vols have to face in 2022
player. 2246. Linebacker. 2. Ball State Cardinals. Brandon Martin. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis
6’0″ 232 pounds
He’s been playing college ball since 2016. When healthy, Brandon Martin is the Ball State Cardinals’ best player, and he will pose the greatest threat to Tennessee football when the two face off next week. Given the fact that it’s the opener, it’s safe to say an injury concerns with Martin won’t kick in just yet.
Ball State has to replace a lot of talent from last year’s 6-7 team, putting a lot of pressure on Mike Neu to try to maintain the success of the past two years. However, when they won the MAC in 2020, it was with Martin fully healthy. That year, his first full year as a starter, he had six and a half tackles for a loss, a sack, a pass deflection and 90 total tackles, 46 of which were solo.
In the process, Martin was named MAC co-Defensive Player of the Year. Despite battling injuries in 2021, he was still productive at times and able to get on the field. He enters this year fully healthy, though, so there is all the reason in the world to expect him to return to 2020 form.
Drew Plitt is gone quarterback for Ball State, and there are few superstars on the team overall given the level of revamped talent and newcomers. Martin is one who could fit that mold, and given Tennessee football’s issues last year when it came to sacks, there’s a good chance he wreaks havoc at Neyland.