2018 Season Countdown: #44 Oliver Martin

2018 Season Countdown: #44 Oliver Martin


July 16, 2018

Oliver Martin (image via MLive)

Name: Oliver Martin
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 198 lbs.
High school: Coralville (IA) West
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #2
Last year: I ranked Martin #62 and said he would be a backup slot receiver (LINK). He redshirted.
TTB Rating:
  83

Last year I expected Martin to play without being a huge factor on the field, but he was the lone receiver from the 2017 class not to play. Injuries were a part of that. He wasn’t totally healthy throughout the year, and Michigan’s need at slot receiver wasn’t huge.

Hype for Martin has increased this off-season, and he should find a decent chunk of playing time. One piece of evidence is that rumors were floating around that incumbent slot receiver Grant Perry was exploring transfer options. Perry opted to stay and will almost surely play a large role, but he’s hearing footsteps. Furthermore, Michigan lost Maurice Ways, Drake Harris, and Kekoa Crawford since last season, and the only replacement in the 2018 class was Ronnie Bell. Ways and Harris barely played, and Crawford was a disappointment, but there’s still room for someone to take some snaps that were vacated. I don’t expect Martin to be heavily targeted, but I think he’ll be an enticing option for the future and we should get a glimpse of what Michigan will have in store when Perry graduates.

Prediction: Backup slot receiver; 10 catches for 110 yards and 1 TD

6 comments

  1. Comments: 522
    Joined: 8/12/2015
    DonAZ
    Jul 16, 2018 at 12:31 PM

    Beyond obvious roles such as QB and RB, Oliver at receiver is the player I’m most curious to see how he does. I recall players like Gallon and Dileo often getting a yard or two more than whatever the third down yardage called for. I don’t know if those were designed 1st down plays, or they ended up being escape routes for a QB in trouble. I’m a big fan of moving the chains, and I love me a squirrely slot guy who finds a way to get open and catch the ball

  2. Comments: 313
    Joined: 8/17/2015
    JC
    Jul 16, 2018 at 3:36 PM

    I am curious WR is going to shake out. Taking a guess here, the starters are going to be DPJ and Black. Perry starts the year at slot, and Martin will take over as the year goes on. But who will take the most snaps on the outside spelling Black and DPJ? Collins? Martin? Will Bell get a look?

    • Comments: 1364
      Joined: 8/11/2015
      WindyCityBlue
      Jul 17, 2018 at 6:54 AM

      Unfortunately, once we get past the 2017 class, we are dangerously thin at WR. We’ve lost a lot of guys at that position, and have not replaced them adequately. Hope for good health.

      • Comments: 71
        Joined: 8/11/2015
        umfarnn
        Jul 17, 2018 at 12:04 PM

        Once we get passed the 2017 class? It’s been 1 year. They took 3 the class before and we’re barely recruiting the position with 6 sophomores and juniors projected on the 2018 roster. And this year they already have a couple and are still looking to add more. And considering the use of the TE in the offense, they don’t need as many WRs as other teams.

        • Comments: 1364
          Joined: 8/11/2015
          WindyCityBlue
          Jul 17, 2018 at 7:05 PM

          Um..no. We took five the year before, and four of them are already gone (Mitchell, Crawford, Johnson and Hawkins), while the fifth (McDoom) is looking like a bust and will probably transfer. To replace them, we got one two star extreme longshot in 2018, and we have one low rated sorta WR in the 2019 class. That’s it. And tight ends are not a replacement for wide receivers (and even if they were, we also lost two TEs recently).

  3. Comments: 262
    Joined: 8/12/2015
    Painter Smurf
    Jul 17, 2018 at 1:20 PM

    Rooting for Martin. I liked the fact that he was honest with the press about the difficulties of transitioning to the playbook/expectations at UM. He has the type of skill-set that can do huge damage in college. I see him as a faster version of Roundtree.

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