Quan Martin "Belongs Here" | Next Man Up Podcast | Washington Commanders

What's Good Command is Family Brian Cole Jr. And this is the Next Man Up Podcast. Our next man Up is no other than rookie second.

Rounder Kwan Martin.

Kwan talks about growing up at Fort Mines, Florida, having supreme confidence in itself, he's a relationship with his parents, and what it felt like getting picked up by the Commanders on draft night. All that and more starts right now. What's Good Command is Family? I'm Brian Cooviagin. And this is the Next Man Up Podcast where it's not so much exits and those, but we look at your favorite Commanders player and get to know the person behind the helmet.

Kuwan, how are you doing today, brother, good Man?

How you doing?

I appreciate you, man, I'm doing real good man. Happy to be talking to you.

Man.

It's always exciting to talk to the young guys because you guys give such a different perspective, you know what I mean, Like y'all just started playing. You know, y'all made y'all dreams come true, you know, So it's always good to talk to you man. I appreciate your time because I know you're extremely busy with halfway through the season and.

We're gonna get into some football talk.

But like I said, I really like to talk to the person and get to know who you are and get these fans to know the person behind the helmet. So first things forced First, Fort Minors, Florida. That's home. What does that mean to you?

Man? Means everything. Man's you know, where everything started, where I grew up, born and raised. Nah, you know, just to be from there, man, just to be one of those guys who you know, made it out of four miles and it's just you know, doing something that you know, I feel like the whole city is behind me.

Yeah, And what.

Are those feelings where you say you know the city's behind you? Like, is that from Draft day where people were there with you know, cheering you on. Like what makes you feel like, Yo, this city's really behind me and got my back through all of this.

Uh, you know, it's it's kind of always been there, man. But you know, like you said, there's a couple people who jumped on the bandwagon. Of course, you know, man, it's all love at the end of the day.

Man.

The support that you know my city had for me is you know, second to nine.

Yeah.

Man, And I've read that you've been playing football since you were five years old. And we talked before the show and you say it spen tackle since five years old. What got you into football so young? Was just something that you always had, like wasn't even a thought?

Uh? I don't know, man, I feel like just growing up like I've always had like older cousins, so you just watching them play, and now you know when I it was my turn, like I enjoyed playing. So I just starting at five years old and all the way upuntil.

Now, when was the moment where because starting at five, you're extreaming young, you're playing your whole life, so your memories could start right When was that moment where you were like, oh man, I'm nice at this, like this could be my career path right here?

I probably feel like mile school, high school, just growing up, you know, just watching the guys around me, and man, just getting the opportunity to play at the next level. I felt like that was like my okay moment, like all right, like I can do this.

Yeah.

And do you feel like when you started noticing your ability do you feel that the people around you scouts.

I mean there's a lot that.

Comes into football, especially even for middle school. You're Florida, Man, they scout y'all right away. Do you feel everybody else knew what you were gonna be or did you figure it out first and they kind of had to catch up?

Nah, I would definitely say, like I feel like I figured it out first.

You know.

For me, like man, throughout my career has always been like prove it. So like for me, it's all right every time I step on the field out I just felt like I had to prove myself. Even to this day, it's like prove it. Yeah, I'm here, but prove it. So you know, I just go out there, man, and and give them my all every play, every down, every opportunity I get. I just try to make the most of it.

And you definitely do.

Man, You definitely go out there and ball, and you know you have a very close support system. Talk about Javon and Desiree Martin, your parents, the people that have been there for Jarvis. I'm sorry, my dad. Talk about them and what they've meant to you in this journey.

Man, It's been everything.

Man.

Parents has been there since day one. You know, my dad has always been there taking me on runs, you know, growing up littlely having to lose weight. He's always been there, like helping me out. And it's been that voice for me, like in my ear bad game, good game, always tell me what I could do better, just constantly reminded me of who I am and you know how I came up.

Yeah, And they're very vocal and support you man. They come to a lot of your games, especially when you played Illinois. You decided to go there out of Florida. What goes into that decision? Because I can't imagine looking at Chicago and that winner and that col weather and you're like, you know what, I'm at least sunny Florida to get to Illinois. Man, what made you make that decision?

Right? So?

I mean that goes back to the whole like prove it. Yeah, It's like I was under recruited coming out of high school. So Illinois was one of my biggest offers I had, Illinois, Iowa State. It was like my two powers of school. So took a visit to Illinois. Committed on the visit. At the time, Lovey Smith was the coach, like man NFL minded coach. I get to play for love Smith, so, you know, just committed on visit. That was my only visit.

I took.

Recruit process down from there and you know, the rest is history.

It's so crazy you say you weren't like super highly recruited, because yeah, a star athlete.

You weren't just a football player.

You were a hooper too, Like you were actually a pretty dark, good hooper. What made you decide to say, you know what, I'm gonna go to the football route seat of the hoop truck.

I mean, football has always been my number one. I got an older brother, so he played basketball, so I was kind of in it because he was in it. Okay after a while, okay, like I could do this a little bit. So man, I was just out that hooping man balling. But football has always been my number one, and you know, I always knew that was the rite I wanted to take.

It's funny because we had jameson Crowded on the show not too long ago, and he's a hooper as well. Right, he told this story about hooping that duke like against Kyrie IRV and all that during his visit and I asked him, I said, Yo, who's the colder hooper on the team. Now, I don't know you are rookie, so I don't know if you really gotta know hoop and be like that. But would you say you're the coldest hooper.

On the team.

I mean, yeah, somebody else cruising prove me otherwise, man, But you know, and my I definitely feel like I'm the.

Co And you know, man, we talk about your athletic ability and your prove it mentality. Finished school illinoiing you go to the combine and you really turn a lot of heads.

We have some big, big numbers. Never been in a situation like that the combine. All eyes are on you, you're trying to prove it.

What was that moment like in going through that process of the combine and getting drafted?

Uh, Like I said, man, it just goes back to that whole like proving mindset. You know a lot of people like going into the combas like are you nervous? Like how are you feeling? And for me, it was like, man, like, this is my opportunity to really just show the world like the athlete I am, and like what I'm capable of. So it wasn't like a whole lot of like nerves going into it. It was more like, let me show these people, like, let me show everybody that I belong here.

And it's obviously you have supreme confidence in yourself. I can just tell by talking to you. Where's that confidence come from?

Man, I feel like it comes from like I don't know. I feel like my motivation is kind of weird the way I look at it. It's more so like I don't know, I'm always motivated by being overlooked or you know, like people doubting me. Like that's where like part of my motivation comes from. So that's when I say, like the whole proven thing is like like, man, like, this person don't believe me. That person don't believe in me.

And clearly believing yourself worked. Man, you made it draft night with your family. You didn't go to the draft you were think of Airbnb or something like that with like your whole family. They got the shirts on, they're representing you. Take us to that moment, right, This is a moment you dreamed of your whole life since you were.

Five years old, even playing.

Right, take us back to that moment being around your family and what was going through your mom before you got.

The call from the commanders during all that time.

So it was a lot man, Like I said, it was at an Airbnb, so we had my mom wanted to do a lot of like setting up, putting.

Up it looked nice, it making it look nice.

So you know, we got the shirts made and all that stuff. So I mean that whole day was like, Oh, I was kind of like pretty calm really, So I was like, you know, if it's meant to happen, it's gonna happen, and whether it's tonight, the next day, or you know, whether there's a phone call later, so just you know, being in that position, it was like just like living in that moment for me. So man, I just sat there, we waited, We watched the guys names you call, we watched the picks go by, and then

Man.

Did you have any expectation or like thought that the commanders would be picking you and calling you around that time?

Oh? Yeah, they were definitely like one of the teams. So I'm like Okay, it's around that time, like, you know, just get ready for a call. So I mean, like I said before, like I took a visit here and uh, you know we talked, talked to the coaching stuff. You know, I enjoyed it. I felt like they enjoyed having me here. Yeah, like I said, like there was one of the teams where it was like okay, like I could possibly go there. So I mean I was I was on high alert. Yeah, when the pick came around.

You have this moment, like you said, you felt a relief, but you know, the camera cuts off after you get off the phone to make your phone call. Because I'm not sure you had moments with your family. Who was that first person in that airbnb that you embraced after that phone call.

It's probably both my parents. I think I have a picture of me hugging them at the same time, and one was on the left, one was on the right. Man, it was just like I just stood up and just just hug both of them at the same time. It was awesome.

And knowing those kind of moments, it's almost like like you just blackout sometimes in those kind of moments, you don't really understand what's going on at the time. Do you remember what your parents said to you in that moment when they're embracing you, when they hugging, Do you remember what they said you?

No, I don't ever remember. Man. I just knew my dad he was all he could do is scream and yell man out of excitement. So, I mean that was just awesome. Really, that's all everybody did, man, just scream, yell. It was excited for me. And uh just had that support man, that that family and just just to be able to feel that and just feel the support around me in that moment.

Yeah, And a lot of times in those moments you said, there's noise going on, there's all these people around, and you were man. So you know, you can't always necessarily show all the emotion and feeling you want to feel. Or sometimes when you're alone, you have those moments where you're like, dang, this really just happened. When did it hit you that you were going to be an NFL player? Like was it immediately in that phone call or did it.

Take a minute? You have to sit down and be like, dang, I did it?

Yeah, I would say like in that phone call, it was like Okay, like, you know, this is real, like it's happening. But I would say that like that next day, man, you know when I woke up and everything was kind of not overwhet, but it has set already, Like it settled down a little bit so man, Like I could just see like all the people on Instagram like tagging me, you know, all the people reaching out, So I'm like, man, this is real. So it was just a great feeling.

Yeah, man.

And then you make it here, right, you make it, You start training camp, you go through your first preseason. What surprised you about that entire process of being rookie, coming into a new place, moving to Virginia.

Did anything surprise you in any of those moments?

Not a whole lot, man. Honestly, I would say, like, you know, me moving from Florida to Illinois, like being on my own, it was like, okay, like this is life, Like this is what I signed up for. Like, so it wasn't like a whole big surprise. Yeah, honestly, I don't feel like I had any surprise.

Really.

Did it help having another because you know, Emanuel Forbes got drafted, You guys are drafted right next to each other.

Both young defensive backs. Did it help having other young.

Defensive backs with you kind of going through the same things you were going through?

Yeah for sure.

Man.

Like we both got drafted pretty high, so you know, it was a big expectation for the both of us. So you know, we kind of sat down and talked about that, had conversations about, like, you know, just us getting an opportunity and you know what that could be like for the both of us coming in at the same time. So just being able to you know, have somebody to talk to going through the same thing going through was just able to relate to each other.

Yeah, And it's not just a young room.

You also have a couple of vets, somebody like Kendall Fuller, who you know has earned his stripes in the NFL.

What is it like playing with a guy like that.

And learning from a guy like that and have you been able to ask him questions and pick his brain?

Yeah? Man, it's great man, just to have you know, a vet guy in the room. Like you said, he earned his stripes in the NFL, So just to be just to be able to play alongside him, man, it's awesome. You know, savvy guy. You know, he knows what to expect, so just kind of giving me a little pointers and things to add to my game.

Yeah, and then clearly whatever forness he's been giving you, he's been working, man. Because you got your first NFL regular season interception, man, last Sunday, big big moment.

Take us to that moment, Man, Take.

Us through what happened on that play, and then also how you felt being able to make a play like that.

Man, it was great, you know, coach, obviously we got to get the call from the solid first for sure, just being able to get lied up, man just kind of read the offense and you know, kind of just understand where like they were trying to attack us at and in that time and that that that two minute situation ship. You know, at first it was kind of hinted on the sideline sideline trying to get out of bounce, but uh, you know, after a while, they just started

Yeah.

Man, I feel like it really just hit me when I all the guys just kind of like grabbed me up off the off the turf, and I was like, man, I got the ball.

So cool.

Yeah, you talk about your confidence and like clearly very very confident man. But you know we're halfway through the season. That was your first interceptions. Their sign of relief there when you get that first one where you're just like I'm here, I'm established, or it's just business as usual.

Man, it's definitely business man. You know, just wait for that next one. Just keep it rolling, man. You know, it only takes one to get the thing started. So just being in the right position, hustling to the ball and things like that definitely helped.

Yeah, and you mentioned slowing down.

Everybody talks about the transition from the NFL to college is how much faster it is.

Did you notice how much faster it is?

And now that you're halfway through the season, have you felt like you've kind of caught up to that pace.

Yeah, I mean it's definitely a faster pace, man, And I kind of learned that in preseason. Just going through the preseason I feel like helped me a whole lot. Man. But you know, as I've been working then these past couple of weeks, and the defense is like, okay, Like I'm able to see different things weekend and week out, and you know, just being able to digest offenses, man, and just knowing how they're trying to attack us in certain situations.

What has been the hardest thing about justin to being an NFL player? Like that adjustment you've made to be an NFL player has been the most difficult thing.

I got a lot of bills, man.

The more money that comes in the morning come out.

Right, yeah, man, But nah, I'm just messing up. Man. I feel like the attention of detail, man, everybody in this league is great. You know, everybody's here for a reason, and uh, you know, that's why everybody get paid, man. So just being able to pay attention to the small details and just pick up on the things that you know, offenses are just special teams like you know what they're

Like I said, man, halfway through the season, right, big win? Is that Sunday? Interesting season we've had so far? Do you feel command as fans have really gotten to see the true identity of.

This team at times? Yeah, I feel like as a team, you know, we just got to keep putting it all together, man, and just playing great on in every phase offense, defense, special teams, and I feel like the sky's the limit for this team, man, and I truly do so. Just being able to, you know, put a complete game together, I feel like it's, you know what what the fans are waiting to see. Yeah, just gonna keep improving every week man, and getting better.

I got no doubt about that. Man. We talked about identity.

Last question, Man, I show I actually camera right there, look into that camera, talk to the fans and let him know who kwalm Martin is for those that aren't familiar.

Man, No, I love ahead of dude, man, confident you no guys who just love to play the game of football. Honestly, Man, just being here is always a great opportunity. Man, A lot of dudes gonna get this opportunity, especially where I'm from. So just being know but you know, show people that this is possible and let's keep building.

Hey man, Kwan, we appreciate you. Man.

It's so exciting to see you developed. We can't wait to continue to watch you develop. Rack up more riends, rack up more interceptions. Right Command is fantas This is the next man Up podcasts. I'm honored to be here with our rookie defensive back.

Kwan Martin. Until next time, Kwan. Appreciate you brother.

All right, man, thanks for having me command this family love podcast. We have a lot more for you on the Commander's Podcast network. That's why we have the Command Center Podcast with Logan Paulsen and Fred Smooth and Santana Moss. It's like hanging out with your best friends, but you're talking all things football. Then we have the Players Club with legends London Fletcher and Santana Moss sitting with your favorite Commanders players. It's like talking football in a way