Why Nick Martin Is the Perfect Dre Greenlaw Replacement
The 49ers came into the second day of the 2025 NFL Draft with one mission and one mission only, and it was to address their below-average run defense in 2024. San Francisco ranked 18th overall, allowing 124.8 rushing yards per game while also giving up the second-most rushing touchdowns in the NFL. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw’s Achilles injury didn’t help the cause, and his departure to the Broncos this offseason was a huge loss for a defense that needed game changers. Heading into today, they had to secure a prospect who could potentially fill the void Greenlaw left as the team’s tone setter in the run game.
I don’t think the 49ers could ask for a better prospect than Oklahoma State’s Nick Martin to do exactly that. Martin is fast, twitchy, and disruptive in the run game. His small frame at five-foot-11, 221 lbs is the only downside in his next-level college production reaching its peak, but he reminds me of Greenlaw. He is eerily similar to the energy they both bring to a defense as they display their range and pursuit when making plays. Martin had elite production in 2023 at Oklahoma State, recording 140 total tackles, including 82 solo tackles, which was the most in the Power Five. He suffered a knee injury last season, only playing in five games, however, he made a full recovery, participating in the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine, where he proved his explosiveness never left.
Martin should translate and develop well into a 49ers defense that understands how to develop linebackers of his skill set. Martin plays a similar brand of football to prospects like Jamien Sherwood, whom the new defensive coordinator, Robert Saleh, drafted and developed as head coach in New York. This selection shows Saleh has a major impact on their plans to restore their championship-caliber defense. Depth and fresh legs at linebacker were crucial for San Francisco to select early and surround All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner with speedy linebackers like Greenlaw, Martin, and Dee Winters seems to be the team’s philosophy over the years. I would say it has worked out pretty well for them, and it will be intriguing to see how Martin will perform with the expectation of being an impactful rookie.
