Sean Martin, West Virginia: 2025 NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Martin was a three-star recruit from Bluefield High School in Bluefield, W.Va. in the class of 2020

West Virginia defensive lineman Sean Martin recently competed at the East-West Shrine Bowl. His impressive physical traits should make him a Day 3 selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. Martin could serve as a base end or add some weight and kick inside to play defensive tackle.

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Sean Martin, DL West Virginia: 2025 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Fifth-year senior defensive end from Bluefield, W.Va.

Background: Martin was a three-star recruit from Bluefield High School in Bluefield, W.Va. in the class of 2020. He was the No. 515 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 403 for On3.com. Martin was an unranked three-star recruit for Rivals and an unranked three-star recruit for ESPN with a 76 grade out of 100. He graduated from West Virginia with his bachelor’s degree in sport management in December of 2023 and began pursuing his master’s degree in business administration. Martin originally committed to North Carolina before flipping to West Virginia. In high school, he was a team captain as a senior and led Bluefield to a 12-2 finish and the 2019 Class AA State Championship Game. He earned Class AA First Team All-State honors that season for totaling 102 tackles, eight sacks, four forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. As a junior, Martin earned a Class AA First Team All-State selection and was on the All-USA Second Team for West Virginia. Martin and Bluefield went undefeated, winning a State Championship in 2017. He also played on the basketball team.

Injuries & Off-Field: Exited 2023 TCU game but returned, exited 2023 North Carolina with an injury

Awards: 2023 Honorable Mention All-Big 12, 2024 Honorable Mention All-Big 12

Pros: Special teams experience on the punt return, field goal block, and field goal units, excellent size and frame to build on, room to add mass to frame, arm length is elite, offers alignment versatility, some explosive pass rush reps vs. Pitt and BYU (2023), long strider to cover ground, speed to power and strong inside hand pry open B-gap, swipes, swim move, two-handed swipe, two-armed bull rush, long-arm move, rip move, club-rip, some ability to shoot through interior gaps, spins back into the action, play strength to set the edge, arm length helps to stack and shed blockers, power to clamp and pull or toss blockers, motor runs hot in pursuit

Cons: Tall frame that’s high-hipped, inconsistent pad level, doesn’t maximize arm length, some reps where he doesn’t extend his arms, lack of sack production, inconsistent first step, some reps where he gradually gets off the line, limited pass rush plan, leg drive on bull rush dies, doesn’t have counters to revive bull rush, lacks bend to turn the corner, tight in the hips, pushed up and around the pocket, limited agility for tight turns, eluded by mobile quarterbacks, lacks impressive closing burst, speed limits pursuit, driven downfield by double teams, offers nothing vs. double teams, no leverage to anchor easily in the run game, doesn’t shed blocks quickly, gets stuck on blocks and RBs slip through his gap, dives low and slides off tackles

Overview: Martin has experience taking snaps as a 4-tech, 4i, and 5-tech as well as a 3-tech in three-man fronts. He’s slightly high-hipped with a tall but excellent frame that has room for him to continue adding mass if he transitions into a full-time interior role. Martin’s 35 1/8" arms and 84" wingspan put him in elite territory, but he’s still learning to maximize his length and time his arm extensions. His dense build and length make him a legitimate threat to line up along the interior and generate pressure working against guards. Martin’s first step is inconsistent and sometimes results in him gradually getting off the line. However, there are examples of him quickly getting off the line and using his long strides to gain speed. His naturally high pad level and limited pass rush plan prevent him from producing high sack totals, but he added to his pass rush arsenal this past season. Martin converts speed to power and uses his length and power to pry open the B-gap. He also deploys club-rips, rips, long-arms, swims, and swipes. The former three-star recruit shoots gaps as a 3-tech and provides a moveable chess piece capable of creating mismatches based on his opponents. His leg drive dies out on bull rushes, and he lacks the counters to revive his attack. Tightness in his hips prevents him from getting low and bending around the edge. His frame limits his agility and ability to execute tight turns or sudden changes of direction. This means mobile quarterbacks escape him in the pocket. Martin uses his play strength to set the edge. His long arms help him stack and shed blockers. His power popped several times as he pulled or tossed blockers aside during his week at the Shrine Bowl. Martin’s motor runs hot in pursuit, but he lacks the closing burst and pursuit speed to cover wide areas. His anchor doesn’t hold up against double teams, and his high pad level causes him to lose the leverage battle. Martin’s timing shedding blocks needs work as he sometimes gets stuck for too long.

Overall, Martin’s frame unlocks alignment versatility and offers some ideal traits, but his high pad level and lack of impact as a pass rusher limit his draft stock. Martin posts some dominant reps showcasing a quick first step and instant power. He needs to develop a deeper bag of pass rush moves and determine if he needs to add weight to spend more time on the defensive line’s interior.

Role & Scheme Fit: 4-3 defensive end

Round Grade: Sixth Round

Size: 6'5 1/4", 289 lbs. (Shrine Bowl)

Submitted: 08-17-24

Updated: 02-03-25