Scouting Report: LJ Martin, RB, BYU

A big, bruising back who gains bushels of yards after contact, LJ Martin means business.

Jul 06, 2026

∙ Paid

*SMWW 2026 Basketball Career Conference In Las Vegas — Coming July 11-12.

*SMWW 2026 Basketball Career Conference In Las Vegas — Coming July 11-12.

SCOUTING REPORT

Summer 2026 Evaluation — Martin brings a wealth of experience to the backfield, combining rare size, speed and physicality. He possesses excellent vision, which helps him trust his blocks and stay patient. Martin is very shifty with the ball in his hands, often leaving defenders missing in space. He is known for maintaining consistent leg drive on contact and fighting for extra yards. As a pass-catcher, he runs crisp routes and makes catches with ease. In pass protection, he stands firm when anchoring. He also scans the field effectively, especially when looking for work to chip the edge. The lone area for development in pass protection is his need to use his hands more effectively. There’s a strong chance he could crack the top 100 overall with a firm closeout in 2026.

QUOTABLE

“Well, the great thing about LJ is that he is not a ‘me only’ guy. He’s ready to do whatever it takes for our program, our team to be successful.” — BYU HC Kalani Sitake

BACKGROUND

He played through a dislocated shoulder until he missed the bowl game against Georgia Tech to undergo surgery. A three-star prospect from Canutillo High School, where he was a 5A MVP in 2021. A biomechanics major and the son of John, who played basketball at Western New Mexico, and Genevieve, who played softball at Western New Mexico, with one sibling. His uncle, Will Martin, played football at New Mexico.

ACCOLADES

2025 Team Captain
2025 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year
2025 Big 12 First-Team All-Conference.
2025 First-Team All-Big 12
2024 Valero Alamo Bowl Offensive MVP