David Orion Martin (born September 2, 1985 in
Danville, Virginia
Danville is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States, located in the Southside Virginia region and on the fall line of the Dan River. It was a center of tobacco production and was an area of Confederate activity ...
) is a former
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
. He was signed by the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
as an
undrafted free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
in 2009. He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
at
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...
.
Martin has also been a member of the
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
.
Early years
After high school, he played defensive end at Hargrave Prep School for one semester to qualify for college. He attended
George Washington High School, Danville, Virginia, prior to that. As a senior, had three sacks, eight receptions for 190 yards, and one interception. He was named first-team all-Western Valley as a senior. He also lettered in basketball as a forward.
College career
In 2008, Martin was named Second-team All-
ACC
ACC most often refers to:
* Atlantic Coast Conference, an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic conference located in the US
*American College of Cardiology, A US-based nonprofit medical association that bestows credentials upon cardiovascular spec ...
after playing 14 games and making 56 tackles (13 for losses) and 7.5 sacks for the Hokies. In 2007, Martin moved into the starting lineup at end and had 58 total tackles, including 10.5 behind the line, along with 15 hurries and 6.5 sacks. He also batted down five passes and forced a team-high three fumbles. In 2006, he contributed 29 tackles on the season, including 1.5 sacks. The year before, 2005, he played in all 13 games and made 23 tackles, seven quarterback hurries, and three passes broken up. In 2004, Martin joined the team as a walk-on for spring practice. He posted a 350-pound bench press, a 550-pound back squat, and a 34-inch vertical jump in spring testing and also turned in the best 40 meter dash by a defensive end with a time of 4.52 seconds. In 2004, he attended
Norfolk State University
Norfolk State University (NSU) is a public historically black university in Norfolk, Virginia. It is a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and Virginia High-Tech Partnership.
History
The institution was founded on September 18, 1935 a ...
for the 2004 spring semester, after finishing up at prep school.
Professional career
Pre-draft
Bench presses 400 pounds.
Miami Dolphins
Martin was signed by the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
as an
undrafted free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
in 2009. The Dolphins moved Martin from
defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
to inside
linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
. He was waived on August 24.
Detroit Lions
Martin was claimed off waivers by the
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
on August 25, 2009 when the team released
wide receiver Eric Fowler
Eric Fowler (born October 17, 1984) is a former American football wide receiver who played for the Detroit Lions. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Grand Valley State.
...
.
He was waived on September 4, 2009.
References
External links
Virginia Tech Hokies bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Orion
1985 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Danville, Virginia
Players of American football from Virginia
American football defensive ends
American football linebackers
Virginia Tech Hokies football players
Miami Dolphins players
Detroit Lions players