As the Baltimore Ravens gear up for mandatory minicamp, one unheralded rookie is turning heads and rapidly rewriting the narrative around undrafted talent in the NFL. Chandler Martin, a name few NFL fans recognized before this summer, is now generating serious buzz as a “UDFA to watch” — and some insiders believe he could be the next underdog hero in Baltimore’s storied defensive lineage.
The shoutout came from Brandon Austin of Pro Football Network, who stunned Ravens Nation by selecting Martin as the team’s standout undrafted free agent entering minicamp. “Chandler Martin is a hard-nosed, old-school inside linebacker with the kind of physicality and motor that fits Baltimore’s defensive DNA,” Austin emphasized. “He plays with a downhill mentality and has a knack for delivering thumping hits in the box.”
Martin’s emergence couldn’t come at a better time. After losing Patrick Queen to the Pittsburgh Steelers and watching veterans Malik Harrison and Chris Board walk in free agency, the Ravens find themselves scrambling for linebacker depth behind superstar Roquan Smith. Yes, Baltimore did spend a high draft pick on Mike Green out of Marshall, but he’s expected to serve as a pass-rush specialist rather than a true interior force.
This leaves a golden opportunity for someone like Martin—a fierce, instinct-driven linebacker with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove.
“General manager Eric DeCosta came away from the 2025 NFL Draft with an impressive haul for the Ravens,” Austin noted. “But they could stand to add more competition at linebacker, especially after recent departures.”
Martin certainly boasts the production to warrant a second look. Over two seasons at Memphis, the 5’11”, 233-pound wrecking ball amassed a staggering 206 tackles, 10 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles in just 26 games. That level of consistency and output, especially in a Group of Five program, is nothing short of eye-opening.
So why did he go undrafted?
The NFL often favors flash over fundamentals, and Martin’s build and athletic profile didn’t dazzle scouts. Austin acknowledged the drawbacks, stating, “While his compact frame and average lateral mobility can limit his ability to cover ground or disengage from blocks in space, Martin’s toughness and football intelligence help him stay around the ball.”
Translation? He might not light up the combine, but this guy knows how to play football.
Moreover, his seven sacks last season showcase his ability to blitz—a trait the Ravens defense adores. “Martin’s production as a blitzer adds to his value and could earn him a niche role in a Ravens defense that thrives on pressure and physicality,” Austin explained. “If he continues to play with the same urgency and edge he showed in college, he’ll be tough for Baltimore’s coaching staff to overlook.”
With a coaching duo like John Harbaugh and Eric DeCosta known for uncovering hidden gems (just ask Ravens fans about Keaton Mitchell), Martin could be next in line to defy the odds and shake up Baltimore’s depth chart.
Let’s be clear—making the 53-man roster on a team with Super Bowl ambitions is no easy feat. But Martin’s relentless drive, physical edge, and nose for the football make him the kind of gritty warrior that Baltimore fans rally around.
All eyes will be on minicamp this week. And if Chandler Martin keeps flying under the radar, he might just become the league’s loudest breakout story by the time preseason rolls around.
