Lions rookie defensive tackle Brodrick Martin was selected with the 96th pick in the 2023 NFL draft, late on Day 2. And he wasn’t expecting that.
Martin said at the Lions’ rookie minicamp that his expectation was to go on Day 3 of the draft.
“I was surprised. I didn’t know I was going to go that early,” Martin said.
In fact, Martin and his mother were planning a family party for Day 3 of the draft because they were expecting to have something to celebrate that day. On Day 2, when Lions coach Dan Campbell called, Martin had to hurry to get himself and his mother in front of the TV in time to watch his name get announced and celebrate together.
“It was crazy because I was in the hotel that I was gonna have my draft party at,” Martin said. “And I was on the sixth floor, up there, just grabbing something to eat. And then I got the call from coach Campbell . . . and he said, ‘Do you want to be a Lion?’ And I said, ‘Yeah!’ I ran down six flights of stairs just to get down to the TV and to my momma. She was down there setting up for the party for the next day. They called me like three picks before, so I had enough time. But I didn’t know I had that much time because I was just grabbing something to eat. I had to run down six flights of stairs. The elevator was taking too long.”
It’s been a long road to the NFL for Martin, who spent a total of six years in college football, first at North Alabama and then at Western Kentucky, and only started to get recognition as a potential NFL player in his final season. He said that when he arrived at the Lions’ facility and saw his name on his locker, he shed a few tears.
“I used to pray for this, every single day since I was 5 years old,” Martin said. “I’ve been playing since I was 5 and I’ve prayed every day. I ain’t missed a day. To be here, it was looking rough a couple times from where I started in my college journey. To be here is a blessing. It’s a blessing.”