2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: RB LJ Martin, BYU

Name: LJ Martin

Position: Running Back

School: Brigham Young University (BYU)

Height/Weight: 6’2”, 225 lbs

Class: Junior (2025 season)

Hometown: El Paso, TX (Canutillo area)

High School: Canutillo High School

Recruiting Rank: 4-star recruit (ESPN Top 300), No. 37 RB nationally (247Sports) in 2023 class

Draft Projections:

•  Pro Football Network → Day 2 (Rounds 2–3), top-100 upside, top-5 RB potential

•  PFF → Day 2 riser, strong underlying metrics

•  NFL Draft Buzz → Round 2–3, RB5–7

•  Bleacher Report → Round 3–4 value

•  Todd McShay/ESPN → Top-5 RB if declares

•  Consensus → Day 2 (Rounds 2–4), RB5–7; late Round 1 upside with elite testing, decision pending post-bowl

Career Background

A four-star recruit with over 6,100 high school rushing yards, LJ Martin contributed as a true freshman in 2023 before leading BYU in rushing each season. He broke out fully in 2025, carrying the Cougars’ offense to a strong Big 12 campaign (including bowl win), earning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year consideration and walking on Senior Day (eligibility remaining). Martin declared for the 2026 NFL Draft shortly after the season, forgoing a potential record-breaking senior year.

Career Stats

•  2023 (Freshman): Limited role, ~700+ yards

•  2024 (Sophomore): ~1,000+ yards, solid production

•  2025 (Junior): 238 carries, 1,299 yards, 12 rush TDs (5.5 YPC); 36 receptions, 251 yards, ~2 rec TDs

•  Career Totals (3 Seasons): ~700+ carries, ~3,000+ yards, ~30 rush TDs; strong receiving contributions

Advanced Stats (2025, PFF):

•  PFF Overall Grade → ~84.0 (strong, top-tier YAC dominance)

•  Yards Per Carry → 5.5 (efficient despite workload)

•  Forced Missed Tackles → 55 (0.231 per attempt; 58th percentile among qualified FBS RBs)

•  Yards After Contact → 893 (3.75 per attempt; 84th percentile among qualified FBS RBs)

•  Breakaway Run Rate → ~30.2% (65th percentile among qualified FBS RBs)

•  Explosive Plays → 36 (0.151 per attempt; 72nd percentile among qualified FBS RBs)

•  Receiving Grade → Solid (versatile contributor)

•  Pass Protection → Competitive and reliable

Awards and Accolades

High School:

•  Highly productive (2,737 yards, 29 TDs junior year)

College:

•  Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year candidate (2025)

•  Multiple All-Big 12 honors

•  Led nation in YAC early season; consistent 100+ yard games

Character and Leadership

Martin earns praise for toughness, work ethic, and leadership as BYU’s offensive cornerstone. No off-field issues; viewed as mature, team-oriented grinder who elevated program. Senior Day walk and draft decision reflect professional mindset.

Injuries

Limited early career but durable in 2025 heavy workload; no major issues reported.

Play Style

Martin is a patient, physical downhill runner with elite vision, footwork, and YAC ability in zone/gap schemes. He presses lines, manipulates defenders, and finishes with power/balance. Versatile receiver on checkdowns/routes; strong pass protector. Lacks elite top-end speed but wins with processing and physicality; comps include Tyler Allgeier (BYU predecessor, power/vision) and a lighter AJ Dillon.

Strengths

1.  Vision & Patience — Natural feel; deliberate pacing maximizes lanes.

2.  Yards After Contact — Dominant post-contact; falls forward, breaks arm tackles.

3.  Physicality/Finishing — High pad level but leverages size for tough yards.

4.  Receiving Versatility — Sneaky hands/routes; complete three-down skill set.

5.  Pass Protection — Excels in blitz pickup; NFL-ready willingness.

Weaknesses

1.  Top-End Speed — Solid burst but lacks elite gear; pursuit catches long runs.

2.  Explosive Burst — Average initial quickness; relies on setup more than raw pop.

3.  Lateral Agility — Functional cuts but not dynamic outside separator.

4.  High-Waisted Frame — Occasional balance issues on low tackles.

5.  Big-Play Ceiling — Efficient grinder over home-run threat.

Final Evaluation

LJ Martin is a rising, high-floor RB with translatable vision, physicality, and versatility in the 2026 class. Cross-referencing PFN, PFF, and NFL Draft Buzz highlights his YAC dominance, patience, and complete profile as Day 2 traits, positioning him as a potential top-5 positional talent behind flashier names like Love/Price. In downhill or zone offenses, Martin has Round 2–3 upside as a reliable RB2 (Tyler Allgeier ceiling) with three-down floor. Elite Combine speed could push top-50; he projects as an early contributor adding toughness to playoff teams. Teams drafting Martin will likely lean on his short yardage upside and physical run style to grind out tough yards late in games.

Sources

•  Pro Football Network (2025 reports, metrics)

•  PFF (grades, YAC analysis)

•  NFL Draft Buzz/Bleacher Report (scouting reports)

•  ESPN (stats, projections)

•  BYU Athletics/Sports-Reference (bio, career stats)

•  Deseret News/KSL (background, decision coverage)