In 2014, the Dallas Cowboys possessed the 16th pick in the NFL Draft. Team Owner Jerry Jones had his heart set on drafting former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel out of Texas A&M. Fortunately for the Cowboys, Executive Vice President Stephen Jones intervened and convinced everyone in the organization that the best way to go would be to select Guard Zack Martin out of Notre Dame.
As a rookie, Martin made his presence felt from the outset as he was a major reason former Cowboys Running Back DeMarco Murray set a franchise record with 1,845 yards. By seasons end, Martin would be selected to the Pro Bowl and be named first-team All-Pro.
All Martin has done since is maintain that level of dominance. He has been selected to the Pro Bowl and been named All-Pro in every season of his career. Since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, Martin is only the sixth player in history to have at least four first-team All-Pro selections and six Pro Bowls in his first six seasons. The other players on that list are Lawrence Taylor, Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith, Patrick Willis, and Aaron Donald. Also, he’s only the third offensive lineman to receive four first-team All-Pro selections in his first six seasons, joining Hall of Famers Anthony Munoz and Larry Allen.
Zack Martin’s career achievements
- 2014: Pro Bowl
- 2014: First-Team All-Pro
- 2015: Pro Bowl
- 2015: Second-Team All-Pro
- 2016: Pro Bowl
- 2016: First-Team All-Pro
- 2017: Pro Bowl
- 2017: Second-Team All-Pro
- 2018: Pro Bowl
- 2018: First-Team All-Pro
- 2019: Pro Bowl
- 2019: First-Team All-Pro
In addition to being a force blocking on the interior, Martin is also very disciplined. He’s only been flagged six times each for either a hold or a false start (three of each came in 2015). In total, Martin has had 17 penalties called against him in his career, less than three per season, truly outstanding.
Your best ability is availability in the game of football or sports in general, and Martin has been stellar in that category. He’s started 94 out of a possible 96 games, missing his only two starts in 2018 due to an MCL sprain. The big fella is an ironman.
Zack Martin is physically imposing along with being extremely durable. He’s a part of a four-headed monster with Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, and La’el Collins that makes the Cowboys offensive line one of the best in the NFL. His list of accolades is already a mile long, making him one of the best drafts picks in franchise history. If he keeps up this level of dominance, Martin will be wearing a gold jacket and have a bronze bust made in Canton, Ohio.
