CHICAGO – Blake Martinez, Stanford’s leading tackler for the past two seasons, was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. Martinez was the 131st overall pick.
Martinez is Stanford’s 11th defensive player taken in the NFL Draft since 2010.
"Unbelievable moment," Martinez said. "It is seriously unreal. I can't wait to get my parents in a cheesehead hat."
The inside linebacker from Tucson, Arizona, was selected to the AP All-America third team, USA Today All-America second team and All-Pac-12 first team as a senior in 2015. A semifinalist for the Butkus Award, Martinez also was named to the Rotary Lombardi Award, Nagurski Trophy and Bednarik Award watch lists, and was a quarterfinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy.
The @packers just drafted a MONSTER in the middle.
— Stanford Athletics (@GoStanford) April 30, 2016
Congrats, @Big_Blake4!#GoStanfordhttps://t.co/y2ptUIGtT2
A management science and engineering major, Martinez finished his Stanford career with 257 tackles (139 solo). He recorded 13.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, intercepted five passes and forced five fumbles.
As a senior, Martinez led the Pac-12 with 141 tackles (75 solo) -- ranking seventh nationally -- and averaged a conference-best 10.1 per contest. In 14 games, he collected 10 or more tackles nine times, posting 14 at Northwestern and USC, 13 against Arizona, 12 against Arizona State and Notre Dame. He also had 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, six pass breakups, and forced a fumble in the Pac-12 Championship Game.
He played in 13 games as a junior and produced a team-high 102 tackles (54 solo) -- seventh-most in the Pac-12 -- 7.0 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three interceptions and forced two fumbles. Martinez recorded 14 tackles at Oregon, 11 along with two interceptions and a forced fumble at Cal, and 10 tackles against USC and Army.
During his sophomore season, he played in 10 games and made 11 tackles. He had six tackles, forced a fumble and intercepted his first pass against Cal. Martinez was Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention.
He played in 14 games as a freshman.