Listed Measurements: 6-foot-3 ½, 240 pounds
2017-18 year, eligibility: Senior with only one season of eligibility remaining
Depth chart: Martini will start as an inside linebacker alongside classmate and fellow captain Nyles Morgan. Junior Te’von Coney provides plenty of motivation and support behind Martini.
Recruiting: Martini committed to Notre Dame following his sophomore year of high school, limiting the number of other offers he received. A rivals.com three-star prospect, Martini had already been offered by Maryland and North Carolina State when he made the decision he would not waver from.
CAREER TO DATE
Martini began contributing to the Irish defense from day one, making two tackles in his freshman season-opener against Rice in 2014. Since then, his season totals have risen from year-to-year, even though his starts have remained sporadic. Last season, for example, captain James Onwualu started ahead of Martini, and Coney saw plenty of action, as well, finishing with 62 tackles himself. Martini, meanwhile, made 55, including seven tackles for loss, the most for a returning member of the Notre Dame defense, just ahead of Morgan’s six.
Martini did undergo shoulder surgery last offseason, giving Onwualu and Coney more reps throughout 2016’s spring practice.
Martini has particularly excelled against option-attack offenses, most notably Navy’s. In each of the last three seasons, his season-high for single-game tackles came against the Midshipmen, nine in each of 2014 and 2015, and 11 last year.
2014: 13 games, two starts (Navy and USC), 26 tackles including two for loss and one sack v. Louisville.
2015: 13 games, four starts, 35 tackles including 2.5 for loss and one sack v. Stanford.
2016: 12 games, four starts, 55 tackles including seven for loss and three sacks, with two sacks coming v. Stanford.
QUOTE(S)
Healthy and presumably a clear-cut starter, Martini was not much of a topic this spring. In listing off positional battles halfway through spring practice, Irish coach Brian Kelly included Martini and Coney. Without reading too much into that, it should be a promising sign for Coney more than anything else.
WHAT KEITH ARNOLD PROJECTED A YEAR AGO
“I’m not sure how he’ll do it, but I expect Martini to take the second-most snaps of any linebacker behind Nyles Morgan. The logic is fuzzy — senior James Onwualu will likely be the starting Sam linebacker — and the Irish staff believes in talented sophomore Te’von Coney. But there are just so many things that Martini is good at, and keeping him on the field makes too much sense.
“Productivity wise, I’m expecting a jump as well. We’ve seen Martini thrive against option opponents. Add in run-heavy opponents like Nevada, Michigan State and Army to the slate, and too many arrows point to opportunities for Martini. I expect him to seize them.”
2017 OUTLOOK
Martini has done all that has been asked of him on the field. With an even more prominent role in the defense this year, there is no reason not to expect such to continue. That should include another bump up in his tackle totals.
Four of the top-five Irish tacklers from a year ago return, with Martini being the fourth. He may not pass Morgan (94) or senior rover Drue Tranquill (79), but he could pass Coney. Even if Martini doesn’t do that, the combination of the two should join Morgan quite well in creating a consistent and productive inside linebacker tandem.
Having excelled against run-heavy opponents in the past, Martini will most likely post his biggest tackle totals against the likes of Georgia, Michigan State and Navy.
DOWN THE ROAD
Finishing his Notre Dame career with 200 or so tackles (currently at 116), Martini will have exceeded most expectations from four years ago. Continuing that trend will be difficult considering his size, but given his success defending against the run, a possible NFL minicamp invite could assuredly open the door toward a professional stint.
2017’s Notre Dame 99-to-2
Friday at 4: Goodbye A-to-Z, hello 99-to-2 (May 12)
No. 99: Jerry Tillery, defensive tackle
No. 98: Andrew Trumbetti, defensive end
No. 97: Micah Dew-Treadway, defensive tackle
No. 96: Pete Mokwuah, defensive tackle
No. 95 (theoretically): Darnell Ewell, defensive tackle
No. 94 (theoretically): Kurt Hinish, defensive tackle
No. 93: Jay Hayes, defensive end
No. 92 (theoretically): Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, defensive tackle
No. 91: Ade Ogundeji, defensive end
No. 90 (theoretically): Cole Kmet, tight end
No. 89: Brock Wright, tight end
No. 88: Javon McKinley, receiver
No. 87 (theoretically): Jafar Armstrong, receiver
No. 86: Alizé Mack, tight end
No. 85: Tyler Newsome, punter
No. 84 (theoretically): Michael Young, receiver
No. 83: Chase Claypool, receiver
No. 82: Nic Weishar, tight end
No. 81: Miles Boykin, receiver
No. 80: Durham Smythe, tight end
No. 78: Tommy Kraemer, right tackle
No. 77: Brandon Tiassum, defensive tackle
No. 75: Daniel Cage, defensive tackle
No. 74: Liam Eichenberg, right tackle
No. 73: (theoretically) Josh Lugg, offensive tackle
No. 72: Robert Hainsey, offensive tackle
No. 71: Alex Bars, offensive lineman
No. 70: Hunter Bivin, offensive lineman
No. 69: Aaron Banks, offensive lineman
No. 68: Mike McGlinchey, left tackle
No. 67: Jimmy Byrne, offensive lineman
No. 65: (theoretically) Dillan Gibbons, offensive lineman
No. 58: Elijah Taylor, defensive tackle
No. 57: Trevor Ruhland, offensive lineman
No. 56: Quenton Nelson, left guard
No. 55: Jonathan Bonner, defensive lineman
No. 54: John Shannon, long snapper
No. 53: Sam Mustipher, center
No. 53: Khalid Kareem, defensive lineman
No. 52: (theoretically) Jonathan Doerer, kicker
TRANSFERS
No. 66: Tristen Hoge, offensive lineman, transfers to BYU
No. 50: Parker Boudreaux, offensive lineman
No. 30: Josh Barajas, linebacker, to transfer to Illinois State
INJURIES
No. 13: Tyler Luatua, tight end, career ended by medical hardship