For former Indiana offensive lineman Wes Martin, Tuesday's pro day performance was about more than just impressing NFL scouts. It was also about raising money for a cause near and dear to his heart.
Last summer, the West Milton, Ohio, native started Brave Breed Rescue, a 501(c)3 non-profit devoted to rescuing and re-homing mistreated dogs of all breeds. Asking for pledge donations for each completed rep during his bench press workout Tuesday morning inside the W. Jay and Nancy Wilkinson Performance Center, he wound up raising $1,386 for the organization after putting up 38 reps of 225 pounds.
“It was a ton of fun," Martin said. "There were a little bit of nerves just because it’s a new environment and you don’t really get a practice during a Pro Day, So there’s a little bit of nerves but once you get going it’s a lot of fun, trying to beat your previous best, all that good stuff and showcase what you’ve got.”
While Martin didn't receive an invite to this year's NFL Scouting Combine, his numbers Tuesday would've put him among the top performers within his position group.
The 38 bench press reps would have ranked second-most among all players - regardless of position - at the combine. Weber State's Iosua Opeta posted 39.
His 113-inch broad jump, meanwhile, would have tied for seventh-farthest among the 41 offensive linemen who participated in the drill at the combine. Washington State's Andre Dillard led the way with 118 inches.
Martin felt good about his overall performance before scouts from 28 of the league's 32 teams but felt like he could've done better in the bench press.
"I wish I would have hit 42 or over again like I did previously, (but) it was good," Martin said. "I think scouts knew I was a strong guy but this kind of reinforced that and allowed them to see it in person."
Although the additional reps would've amounted to nearly $150 more in donations based on the calculated worth of each according to his fundraising page, he's still pleased with how he was able to use his platform for a greater good.
"It was awesome," Martin said. "It was a lot of fun to be able to publicize that and bring awareness to the rescue that we started.”
When Martin wasn't bailing hay on his family's dairy farm and developing that strength growing up, he was spending time around dogs.
Today, he and his fiancee are proud owners of three staffordshire terriers named Dane, Bella and Libby. They're also fostering a fourth dog named Piper, though they're not sure what breed she is.
“Huge dog guy," Martin said.
While helping the public become more aware of his non-profit and love for dogs, Martin also did his best to make NFL evaluators more aware of what he could bring to their organizations beyond his natural strength.
Having started 50 games at left guard for IU, Martin hardly snapped the ball during his time at IU, so he did just that before scouts inside Mellencamp Pavilion Tuesday.
"I’ve been practicing it a lot because I knew that was a skill I needed to have coming into this stage in my career," Martin said.
Martin's pro prospects weren't clear prior to Tuesday, but there's no question he improved his outlook quite a bit with his pro day performance.
Following the conclusion of Tuesday's pro day, he met with the Detroit Lions for more than an hour.
Martin also said he has five top 30 visits scheduled. Under NFL rules, a club is allowed to bring in up to 30 prospects to its facility for private visits and workouts, which would mean Martin is a top 30 prospect for five franchises at this time.
Whether he extends the streak of Indiana players drafted to a sixth consecutive year remains to be seen.
On Tuesday, though, it was his passion - not his profession - that was at the forefront of his mind.
"It was a great event," Martin said. "We got a lot of good support from a lot of different individuals."
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