OSU Player to Watch, Day 2: Markelle Martin

Oklahoma Sports brings you the second day in a 15-part series detailing what players to keep an eye on next season.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 11:29 am

By: News On 6

OSU Player to Watch, Day 2: Markelle Martin

Originally Published: Feb 15, 2010 2:11 PM CDT

Also on Oklahoma Sports
- Oklahoma Player to Watch Day 2: Stephen Good
- Tulsa Player to Watch Day 2: Demaris Johnson

Gerald Goodridge
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

S Markelle Martin

Background:

Markelle Martin has seen action in 22 games his first two seasons at Oklahoma State and did exactly what he needed to, not give up big plays. In 11 appearances in 2009 Martin had 45 total tackles and 11 passes broken up. The 6-foot-1-inch 190-pound junior was a highly sought after recruit out of Texas, and entertained offers from four Big 12 schools before deciding on the Cowboys.

Why He’s on the List:

The safety position is another position hit hard by graduation, not because of depth but because of talent lost. Missing Lucien Antoine is going to be a big hit for OSU, and Martin will have to step up and fill in for the man known as “The Punisher.” Martin has the body and the speed to play both as a coverage safety and as a bruiser at the last line of defense.

Best Case Scenario:

If Martin coming in doesn’t lead to a sizeable drop-off in quality at the safety position, that’s the best thing that can happen for the Cowboys. Lucien Antoine played well this season and finished the season fourth on the team in tackles with 65 total tackles and two interceptions. Defending the pass continued to be an issue throughout the season for OSU and a drop in quality is the last thing it needs for a year with a lot of turnover.

Worst Case Scenario:

If Martin can’t fill the big shoes that Antoine left, safety is a fairly deep position for the Cowboys. Victor Johnson saw action in nine games in 2009 and notched 27 tackles, Johnny Thomas played in 12 games and grabbed 25 tackles and Daytawion Lowe played in 11 games and got 10 tackles. There’s a lot of backup for Martin if he can’t be the guy full time.

My Take:

It’s hard to decide if there isn’t a noticeable difference in the defense with Martin coming in is a positive or a negative. If the pass defense doesn’t get worse, it’s great, but after ranking eighth in the conference in 2009 giving up 236.8 yards per game through the air, it needs to improve. Martin was talented enough to see playing time in his first two years at Oklahoma State, and the Cowboys have been known to get every ounce of talent from defensive players, Andre Sexton comes to mind.

Other OSU players to watch (click the links below for the full story)
Day 1: Orie Lemon