Devon Witherspoon & Jartavius Martin, DB (Illinois)
Illinois' secondary was LOADED
Throughout this offseason, I procrastinated my scouting of defensive backs until the last minute given the fact that DBs (mainly corners) are my least favorite position to scout. This has led to me neglecting DBs while writing my draft profiles, with Christian Gonzalez being my only full-length DB profile published. So, in an effort to right my wrongs, I decided to throw two studly DBs from Illinois into a single profile in an effort to churn out some content for this position group I have neglected prior to the 2023 NFL Draft. Devon Witherspoon and Jartavius Martin are two players that I truly enjoyed watching and, unlike their fellow Illinois DB Sydney Brown, have high hopes for in the NFL.
COLLEGE CAREER OVERVIEW
After not receiving much attention during the recruitment process, Devon Witherspoon decided to join the Illinois football program following high school. As a freshman in 2019, he exceeded expectations by playing in 12 games and accumulating 389 snaps as a cornerback for the Fighting Illini. He showcased his skills with 16 tackles, 8 assists, 6 stops, 2 pass breakups, and an impressive QB rating of 76.6 when targeted. As a sophomore in 2020, Witherspoon played in 7 games and logged 467 snaps, racking up 24 tackles, 12 assists, and 5 stops. He was less impressive in coverage, however, with 2 interceptions and a QB rating of 122.6 when targeted. In 2021, as a junior, Witherspoon continued to contribute with 740 snaps in 10 games, recording 46 tackles, 3 assists, 19 stops, 6 pass breakups, and an improved QB rating of 86.9 when targeted. Finally, in his senior year of 2022, Witherspoon had an outstanding season, playing in 12 games with 738 snaps, making 32 tackles, 7 assists, 16 stops, 14 pass breakups, 3 interceptions, and surrendering an excellent QB rating of just 24.6 when targeted.
After graduating from Lehigh Acres High School, Jartavius Martin decided to join the Illinois football program. As a freshman in 2018, Martin made an immediate impact, playing in 10 games and logging a total of 493 snaps as a cornerback for the Fighting Illini. He displayed his skills with 32 tackles, 9 assists, 6 stops, 1 pass breakup, 3 interceptions, and a QB rating of 92.0 when targeted. However, as a sophomore in 2019, Martin's playing time decreased, as he played in 9 games with 384 snaps, racking up 14 tackles, 5 assists, and 2 stops, all while struggling in coverage with no pass breakups, no interceptions, and a QB rating of 114.3 when targeted. In 2020, as a junior, Martin's role further diminished, playing in 8 games with 245 snaps, but still managing to contribute with 35 tackles, 5 assists, 8 stops, 1 pass breakup, no interceptions, and a QB rating of 75.0 when targeted. In his senior year of 2021, Martin regained his momentum, playing in 12 games with 592 snaps, recording 45 tackles, 15 assists, 14 stops, 6 pass breakups, 1 interception, and a QB rating of 84.5 when targeted. Finally, in his fifth year as a senior in 2022, Martin continued to excel, playing in 12 games with 721 snaps, making 52 tackles, 6 assists, 16 stops, 11 pass breakups, 3 interceptions, and impressively surrendering a QB rating of only 70.2 when targeted.
DEVON WITHERSPOON’S STRENGTHS
Three words summarize Devon Witherspoon and his brand of football perfectly: aggression, physicality, and confidence. He is not afraid to make his presence known with his energetic and aggressive plays, both in pass coverage and run support. He is known for laying hard hits with passion and precision, utilizing proper leverage and angles to make calculated attempts at ball carriers. In run defense, Witherspoon quickly disengages from outside blockers and effectively supports the front seven, often making solo stops even behind the line of scrimmage on outside runs. His ability to set the tone with his physicality and understanding of technique make him an elite run defender by corner standards, something that I absolutely love.
Circling back to “confidence”, this trait is most apparent in his ability as a coverage corner. Witherspoon, much like Sauce Gardner from last year’s draft, plays like there is not a single WR on this planet he cannot cover. In man coverage, Witherspoon is able to shut down one side of the field, which makes the lives of his teammates much easier. Starting at the line of scrimmage, Witherspoon's prowess is evident through his calculated patience, smooth footwork, and controlled strikes in press coverage. He maintains squared shoulders and flips his hips quickly to stay in phase with vertical routes. While not the fastest corner, Witherspoon has enough speed to keep up on deep routes. His true strength, however, lies in his mid-route coverage, where he remains low, patient, and fluid in his backpedal, allowing him to stay in his opponent's pocket and react to plays with exceptional athleticism. Witherspoon is a player that clearly spends a lot of time studying film, as he anticipates route breaks based on receiver movements and uses his reactive athleticism to respond quickly. He also excels at the catch point, showcasing tremendous ball skills and physicality in the air, often winning battles through hand combat and making plays on the ball.
JARTAVIUS MARTIN’S STRENGTHS
Jartavius Martin possesses a versatile skill set that translates well to the modern NFL. For starters, much like Witherspoon, he is a more than willing run defender that boasts a missed tackle rate of just over 5%. His strong ability as a tackler comes from his strong arms that allow him to wrap up effectively, and while he may not be a thumper by any means, it is incredibly clear how difficult it is to slip away from Martin as a ball carrier. While aligned as a deep safety, Martin takes proper angles while pursuing ball carriers, and his 4.46 speed allows him to quickly flow downhill to make plays. Martin is easily one of the best run defenders among this year’s DB class.
In coverage, Martin’s abilities are particularly effective in the slot, where he can use his physicality to redirect routes and disrupt timing, ensuring he can maintain contact and carry receivers across the middle of the field. He demonstrates excellent contact balance and is adept at squeezing receivers at the catch point, forcing tight throwing windows. Martin is also a great mover in coverage, as his oily hips and nimble feet allow him to cover a lot of ground both laterally and while backpedaling. Additionally, Martin’s ability to get his head around to find the ball in man coverage, as well as his quick burst and soft hands, make him an effective and disciplined ball hawk. This is shown by his 20 passes defended to just two penalties over the last two seasons, proving he has the ability to make plays on the ball with discipline. Martin’s skillset makes him an ideal candidate for covering tight ends at the next level, as he has the needed physicality and athletic profile to keep up with the modern breed of TE.
DEVON WITHERSPOON’S WEAKNESSES
While Witherspoon’s ability to stay on top of routes and avoid getting stacked by receivers is commendable, there are concerns about his long speed when facing speedy wide receivers. Unfortunately, a hamstring injury prevented him from participating in the NFL Combine and measuring his speed with the 40-yard dash, leaving some uncertainty in this area. Additionally, his arm length is considered average at best, which may not pose significant challenges in college but could become a factor against bigger and stronger NFL receivers. Witherspoon also has a relatively light frame, which could impact his effectiveness in press coverage and during route breaks against larger opponents at the professional level.
Devon Witherspoon's aggressive playing style can be a double-edged sword, as it has resulted in him being penalized 11 times, primarily for defensive pass interferences, over the past two seasons. Despite showing improvement in getting his head around before the ball arrives, Witherspoon can still be overly physical, eager, and reliant on using his hands, which may pose challenges for him against more skilled athletes in the NFL. Additionally, Witherspoon's confidence can be his downfall at times as well, as he has instances where he can be overly confident in his play recognition and physical abilities in coverage. This can result in him falling for feints or double/triple moves by opponents, both at the line of scrimmage and downfield.
JARTAVIUS MARTIN’S WEAKNESSES
Martin's ability to play tight man coverage is sometimes hindered by his slender frame, as he can get knocked off-balance when engaged by receivers. His chase speed can be inconsistent, and he occasionally takes shallow undercut angles on throws, leaving himself susceptible to double moves. When lining up in the slot to press or collision smaller receivers, Martin may be better off being aggressive at the line of scrimmage rather than playing in space, as he needs to improve his footwork and foot-fire to keep up with them at the top of their stem.
In terms of play recognition in coverage, Martin's route recognition skills are average, and he can struggle to stay connected to receivers who run more complex routes. His zone IQ also has room for improvement, indicating that he needs to work on the mental aspects of coverage at the next level. Furthermore, his reactionary quickness and ability to trigger with urgency can be inconsistent, particularly in man coverage, so that will need to be cleaned up at the next level as well.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Fighting Illini ranked first in points allowed (12.3) and second in yards allowed (263.8) per game among all 131 FBS programs. The coverage unit was particularly outstanding, allowing only eight touchdowns (tied for the fewest), recording the most interceptions (22), and boasting the best completion rate (49.5%) and fewest yards per pass attempt (5.4) in the nation. These statistical feats were accomplished thanks in large part to Witherspoon and Martin, who both played pivotal roles in Illinois’s secondary. Witherspoon is undoubtedly the more gifted of the two, showcasing both a higher floor and ceiling compared to his teammate. This will be evident on draft night, as Witherspoon will be a top-15 pick. He projects as a player that will step in immediately as a scrappy, high-IQ defender willing to get down and dirty while making a name for himself as a lockdown corner at the next level. However, it's important not to overlook Martin. While he may not possess the same level of talent as Witherspoon, he could still make a lasting impression. If he finds himself on the right team as a nickel defender, he could excel as a reliable run-stopper from day one. Additionally, he has the potential to develop his coverage skills while effectively guarding tight ends as he continues to grow and improve. I feel like I’ve written this a billion times throughout these draft profiles, but I really am excited to see where these two end up and how their careers pan out, because I’ll be damned if I don’t love defensive backs that are willing and capable against the run.
Devon Witherspoon’s Grade/Position Rank: First Round, CB2
Jartavius Martin’s Grade/Position Rank: Late Second-Early Third Round, SAF3
Devon Witherspoon’s Comp: John Wick
Jartavius Martin’s Comp: Jolteon from “Pokémon”