Linebacker Nick Martin Explains what He Adds to the 49ers Defense

The 49ers drafted Nick Martin to replace Dre Greenlaw. And those two have certain similarities, but also certain differences.

After getting drafted, Martin discussed the unique abilities he will bring to the 49ers defense.

Q: Can you describe your style?

MARTIN: “I would say I’m very athletic, so I like to use that to my advantage. I’m relentless, the way I always go for the kill shot, whether that’s maximum effort or punishing a person with the ball, just figuring out ways to just change the tone of the game. And I’m explosive and I’m just somebody that cares about the guy next to him, always willing to give his all for the guy next to him and understanding that no rep should be taken for granted and just always just give them my all, each and every down.”

Q: You missed a few games last year with a knee injury. How’s the knee now? What happened?

MARTIN: “Yeah, I had a contact injury to my knee. It was an MCL tear. Healed from it, didn’t have to have surgery. And I went into Combine 100-percent, Senior Bowl I was 100-percent, as well. And I’m feeling great right now, so I’m ready to get after it and ready just to prove my name and show the world what I’m about.”

Q: You’re obviously not the biggest linebacker, but you obviously have some contact courage. Has that always just been a part of you or at some point do you learn like, ‘I just have to go for it?’

MARTIN: “Yeah, I grew up, like in high school, everybody was saying I was undersized and he’s probably going to be more of a safety or a running back, but I feel like that was just fuel to the fire and I really just figured out how to use my size to my advantage. Using my athleticism and just my keen ability to just get after it. I feel like that was something that was ingrained in me at a young age. And just my mentality. I’m the youngest of four boys, so I’ve got three older brothers. So, it was about get out the mud for me, since day one. So when I grew up, that mentality was kind of ingrained in me at a young age. So it was something that I’ve always had a part of me.”

Q: You had six sacks a couple seasons ago. Can you describe how your role as a pass rusher within your defense evolved over your time in college?

MARTIN: “I definitely love rushing and my coaches like to use my athleticism and just like doing different things with the linebackers sometimes, putting me on the edge or a blitzing between the tackles. But we had certain calls where, like I said, I would go on the edge. And then definitely in ‘23, I was more of a balanced to rush guy. So the front was able to eat and I was balancing them and it kind of was one of those getting a feel for it. And I kind of just picked it up pretty easy. Rushing is something I love to do. Who doesn’t like sacking the quarterback? That’s something that I definitely consider a great part of my game.”

MY TAKE: Martin will be a key part of the 49ers' third-down pass rush. Because other than Nick Bosa, they don't have a dominant rusher. They have Mykel Williams and Alfred Collins, who are projects when it comes to rushing the quarterback. Williams never recorded more than 5 sacks in a season at Georgia. Martin just might have more sacks than him next season.