Vaughn Martin
Encyclopedia
Vaughn Martin is a Jamaica
n-born Canadian
professional gridiron football
player, who currently plays defensive end
for the San Diego Chargers
of the National Football League
(NFL). He was drafted by the Chargers in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft
, the first Canadian university football
player drafted by an NFL team as an underclassman. He played university football at the University of Western Ontario.
and raised in Toronto
and London, Ontario
. He attended London South Collegiate Institute, playing football for head coach Chris Marcus, and later Mike Stenning. He also attended The Kiski School under coach Marcus Muster for a short time before transferring. He competed as a linebacker
, defensive end
, defensive tackle and fullback
in high school, recording 90 tackles with five stops behind the line of scrimmage in 2004. The three-time starter was rated one of the top 12 defensive ends in Ontario by All-Star Football and Weir's Magazine. He also received a two-star prospect rating from Rivals.com
.
Prior to beginning his collegiate career, Martin competed for two summers with the Forest City Thunderbirds in the Central Ontario Football League. He also was a member of Team Canada, playing in the 2006 NFL Global Junior Championship
in Detroit. He was named to the NFL Global Junior Championship X All-Tournament Team after helping Team Canada to a perfect 5-0 record, including five shutouts.
, the University at Buffalo
, and Ohio University
to enroll at Michigan State University
in 2006, but failed to qualify due to academic transcript issues. He then enrolled at Milford Academy
, a preparatory school
in New York. He later returned home to Ontario, where University of Western Ontario
assistant coach Mickey Donovan along with special teams coach Chris Marcus — Vaughn's high-school coach and mentor — convinced him to enroll.
Martin joined the Western Ontario Mustangs
football team and saw action at defensive tackle and end during his first season. In 2008, Martin performed mostly at defensive tackle earlier in the year, but he also at defensive end. In 12 games, he collected 36 tackles (22 solos) with 3.5 sacks, 7.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage and 13 pressures. He returned an interception for a touchdown, registered a safety, caused a fumble and recovered two others. He also played fullback, where he scored twice on a pair of 3-yard rushing attempts, finishing with 10 yards on four carries.
's Pro Day, where he ran a 4.96 second 40 yard dash at 330 pounds. He also set the 2009 draft class bench press record, lifting 225 pounds 44 times.
player drafted as an underclassman when he was picked in the fourth round, 113th overall, by the San Diego Chargers
in the 2009 NFL Draft
. Martin signed a four-year contract with the Chargers in July 2009. The Chargers hope to have Martin anchor the right side of the defensive line some day. Athletic and intelligent — he scored an impressive 38 on the NFL's Wonderlic Test
; scouts also report that he has the bulk, strength, and agility to become a nose tackle like Jamal Williams
. He recorded his first career sack on November 22, 2010 against the Denver Broncos
, sacking Quarterback Kyle Orton
.
selected Vaughn Martin in the 5th round of the 2011 CFL Draft
. His rights belong to the Alouettes if Martin chooses to pursue a career in the CFL.
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n-born Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional gridiron football
Gridiron football
Gridiron football , sometimes known as North American football, is an umbrella term for related codes of football primarily played in the United States and Canada. The predominant forms of gridiron football are American football and Canadian football...
player, who currently plays defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
for the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL). He was drafted by the Chargers in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
, the first Canadian university football
CIS football
Twenty-six universities across Canada compete in football under the auspices of Canadian Interuniversity Sport . The teams are divided into four conferences, drawing from the four regional associations of the CIS: Canada West Universities Athletic Association, Ontario University Athletics, Quebec...
player drafted by an NFL team as an underclassman. He played university football at the University of Western Ontario.
Early years
Martin was born in JamaicaJamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
and raised in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
. He attended London South Collegiate Institute, playing football for head coach Chris Marcus, and later Mike Stenning. He also attended The Kiski School under coach Marcus Muster for a short time before transferring. He competed as a linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
, defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
, defensive tackle and fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
in high school, recording 90 tackles with five stops behind the line of scrimmage in 2004. The three-time starter was rated one of the top 12 defensive ends in Ontario by All-Star Football and Weir's Magazine. He also received a two-star prospect rating from Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
.
Prior to beginning his collegiate career, Martin competed for two summers with the Forest City Thunderbirds in the Central Ontario Football League. He also was a member of Team Canada, playing in the 2006 NFL Global Junior Championship
NFL Global Junior Championship
The NFL Global Junior Championship was played during the week leading up to the Super Bowl, in the same city that is hosting the game. The first game was played in 1997, and only two teams played, Mexico and Europe. Mexico won the first and second edition, Europe won the third edition. From 2000 to...
in Detroit. He was named to the NFL Global Junior Championship X All-Tournament Team after helping Team Canada to a perfect 5-0 record, including five shutouts.
University career
Martin turned down scholarship offers from the University of ToledoUniversity of Toledo
The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:...
, the University at Buffalo
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, also commonly known as the University at Buffalo or UB, is a public research university and a "University Center" in the State University of New York system. The university was founded by Millard Fillmore in 1846. UB has multiple campuses...
, and Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
to enroll at Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
in 2006, but failed to qualify due to academic transcript issues. He then enrolled at Milford Academy
Milford Academy
Milford Academy is a post-secondary school founded in 1906 in Milford, Connecticut as Yale Preparatory School. The school is located since 2004 in New Berlin, New York...
, a preparatory school
University-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
in New York. He later returned home to Ontario, where University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
assistant coach Mickey Donovan along with special teams coach Chris Marcus — Vaughn's high-school coach and mentor — convinced him to enroll.
Martin joined the Western Ontario Mustangs
Western Ontario Mustangs
The Western Ontario Mustangs are the athletic teams that represent the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada...
football team and saw action at defensive tackle and end during his first season. In 2008, Martin performed mostly at defensive tackle earlier in the year, but he also at defensive end. In 12 games, he collected 36 tackles (22 solos) with 3.5 sacks, 7.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage and 13 pressures. He returned an interception for a touchdown, registered a safety, caused a fumble and recovered two others. He also played fullback, where he scored twice on a pair of 3-yard rushing attempts, finishing with 10 yards on four carries.
Pre-draft
Martin was not invited to the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine, but impressed several pro scouts in the spring of 2009 when he participated at the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
's Pro Day, where he ran a 4.96 second 40 yard dash at 330 pounds. He also set the 2009 draft class bench press record, lifting 225 pounds 44 times.
San Diego Chargers
Martin became the first CIS footballCIS football
Twenty-six universities across Canada compete in football under the auspices of Canadian Interuniversity Sport . The teams are divided into four conferences, drawing from the four regional associations of the CIS: Canada West Universities Athletic Association, Ontario University Athletics, Quebec...
player drafted as an underclassman when he was picked in the fourth round, 113th overall, by the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
. Martin signed a four-year contract with the Chargers in July 2009. The Chargers hope to have Martin anchor the right side of the defensive line some day. Athletic and intelligent — he scored an impressive 38 on the NFL's Wonderlic Test
Wonderlic Test
The Wonderlic Cognitive Ability Test is a twelve-minute, fifty-question test used to assess the aptitude of prospective employees for learning and problem-solving in a range of occupations. The test was developed by industrial psychologist Eldon F. Wonderlic...
; scouts also report that he has the bulk, strength, and agility to become a nose tackle like Jamal Williams
Jamal Williams
Jamal Williams is an American football nose tackle who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 1998 Supplemental Draft...
. He recorded his first career sack on November 22, 2010 against the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, sacking Quarterback Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
.
Montreal Alouettes
On May 8, 2011, the Montreal AlouettesMontreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
selected Vaughn Martin in the 5th round of the 2011 CFL Draft
2011 CFL Draft
The 2011 CFL Draft took place on Sunday, May 8, 2011 live at 12:30 PM ET on TSN. 47 players were chosen from among eligible players from Canadian Universities across the country, as well as Canadian players playing in the NCAA. The Toronto Argonauts, Montreal Alouettes and Hamilton Tiger-Cats had...
. His rights belong to the Alouettes if Martin chooses to pursue a career in the CFL.