LB Nick Martin Press Conference

LB Nick Martin

Press Conference – April 25, 2025

San Francisco 49ers

How exciting is it to have your name called? Obviously, being drafted by the 49ers. It just happened, so you haven’t had much time to even take it in.

“Yeah, it’s a blessing. I grew up watching the Draft and since I was five, I wanted to be in the NFL and be the best at it and get there. And being here is surreal and it’s just a blessing. I’m excited to get to work.”

Being a linebacker, do you watch LB Fred Warner in any capacity or are you excited to learn from him, talk to him?

“Oh, yeah. I watch him all the time. He’s like the guy that I respect the most at the linebacker position in the league. So, it’s an honor to get to work with him and learn from him and be the guy next to him, you know what I’m saying? And just playing with him and learning and growing. I’m just excited to work with him.”

What aspects of his game do you watch most closely or admire the most?

“I like his ball-hawk mentality. He is always going after the ball, whether that’s punching it out or an interception and how he’s always around the ball, always around the guy with the ball and just figuring out ways to force turnovers. I think that’s something he really just imprinted on and really mastered and continues to do good at. So, I would say that’s something I really pay attention to.”

Can you describe your style?

“I would say I’m very athletic, so I like to use that to my advantage. I’m relentless, the way I always go for the kill shot, whether that’s maximum effort or punishing a person with the ball, just figuring out ways to just change the tone of the game. And I’m explosive and I’m just somebody that cares about the guy next to him, always willing to give his all for the guy next to him and understanding that no rep should be taken for granted and just always just give them my all, each and every down.”

What about Denver Broncos LB Dre Greenlaw? Is that a linebacker that you followed at all?

“Oh, yeah. I thought they were like the dynamic duo. And being able to come in and just be that piece, it’s just going to be a fun thing for me and I’m super excited.”

You missed a few games last year with a knee injury. How’s the knee now? What happened?

“Yeah, I had a contact injury to my knee. It was an MCL tear. Healed from it, didn’t have to have surgery. And I went into Combine 100-percent, Senior Bowl I was 100-percent, as well. And I’m feeling great right now, so I’m ready to get after it and ready just to prove my name and show the world what I’m about.”

You’re obviously not the biggest linebacker, but you obviously have some contact courage. Has that always just been a part of you or at some point do you learn like, ‘I just have to go for it?’

“Yeah, I grew up, like in high school, everybody was saying I was undersized and he’s probably going to be more of a safety or a running back, but I feel like that was just fuel to the fire and I really just figured out how to use my size to my advantage. Using my athleticism and just my keen ability to just get after it. I feel like that was something that was ingrained in me at a young age. And just my mentality. I’m the youngest of four boys, so I’ve got three older brothers. So, it was about get out the mud for me, since day one. So when I grew up, that mentality was kind of ingrained in me at a young age. So it was something that I’ve always had a part of me.”

What were your interactions with defensive coordinator Robert Saleh leading up to this?

“Yeah, so I was at the Senior Bowl and it was [president of football operations and general manager] John Lynch and a bunch of the guys there and I was talking with them. We were going through some install and stuff. I’m just excited to work with them. Those are some legendary coaches, [linebackers] coach [Johnny] Holland and all those guys. I’m just excited to work with them. I’ve had a few interactions with all of them. But yeah, definitely meeting more in the future.”

So, did you have an idea that the 49ers were very interested in you throughout the whole process?

“Yeah. Honestly, I knew it was going to be an NFC West team. I had the idea that it was going to be the Niners, just because of how good the meetings went at the Senior Bowl. And I had a formal with them at the Combine. And also, I had a Zoom with the linebackers coach as well. So it was kind of like in the back of my head, like I might end up there and I might get a chance to work with Fred and that whole Niners defense. It was kind of in my mind. So when I saw that call from a California number, I knew it, this is where I’m going.”

You had six sacks a couple seasons ago. Can you describe how your role as a pass rusher within your defense evolved over your time in college?

“I definitely love rushing and my coaches like to use my athleticism and just like doing different things with the linebackers sometimes, putting me on the edge or a blitzing between the tackles. But we had certain calls where, like I said, I would go on the edge. And then definitely in ‘23, I was more of a balanced to rush guy. So the front was able to eat and I was balancing them and it kind of was one of those getting a feel for it. And I kind of just picked it up pretty easy. Rushing is something I love to do. Who doesn’t like sacking the quarterback? That’s something that I definitely consider a great part of my game.”

The 49ers defense is going to be especially young this coming season. What are you most looking forward to with this opportunity to compete for early playing time, especially alongside a guy like LB Fred Warner?

“Just coming in and proving myself to the vets and winning their respect. And definitely just becoming that guy that they can look at, like, he’s a young guy, but I know he’s got my back. You know what I’m saying? And I would say that’s my first and foremost thing and just learning the playbook and winning that starting job. So, just taking it one day at a time after that and continuing to learn and grow.”

You got a lot going on around you. It’s pretty quiet it seems, but also am assuming that you got a lot of action going on with your phone right now. Did you have family surrounding you? What was going on?

“Yeah, I got a bunch of my family downstairs. I’m upstairs in a room. I’m trying to find a quiet place, but everybody’s lit and my phone is blowing up right now. So I’m trying to ignore all the stuff going on. But it’s a blessing, everybody’s just excited and it is just a blessing, and it is a lot going on. My son was born like three weeks ago so it has been a crazy year for me, but it’s full of blessings. I’m just excited for the journey.”