2020 SEASON: Played in 10 games with six starts, recording 23 tackles (17 solo), one sack, three tackles for a loss, one quarterback hit and one special teams tackle…Spent the first six weeks of the season on injured reserve (knee) before returning to the 53-man roster on Oct. 24…Placed on the reserve/COVID list on Nov. 3…Activated from reserve/COVID list on Nov. 9…Played in both postseason games, making two tackles (one solo)…At Houston (Oct. 25): Started and played 29 defensive snaps in his NFL debut, making six tackles (all solo) and a tackle for a loss. On Houston's first drive of the second half, pushed TE Darren Fells into the backfield and met RB David Johnson for a 1-yard loss, marking the first tackle of his NFL career. Also played nine snaps on special teams…Vs. Minnesota (Nov. 1): Started and recorded three tackles (one solo) while appearing on 42 defensive plays. Also appeared on three plays on special teams…Vs. Jacksonville (Nov. 15): Played 13 snaps on defense and 11 snaps on special teams…At Indianapolis (Nov. 22): Started and made four tackles (three solo) while playing 22 defensive snaps. Also got in on 14 plays on special teams…Vs. Chicago (Nov. 29): Started and played nine defensive snaps, posting two tackles (both solo) and his first career sack. Also made a tackle on special teams, the first of his career, in 14 plays of work. Early in the third quarter, pushed QB Mitchell Trubisky out of bounds for a 3-yard sack to force third-and-long…Vs. Philadelphia (Dec. 6): Started and made two tackles and a tackle for a loss in 16 snaps of action on defense. Also played eight special teams snaps. On Philadelphia's first drive of the game, came free up the middle to drop RB Miles Sanders for a 2-yard loss…At Detroit (Dec. 13): Started and played 12 defensive snaps, making one assisted tackle and one quarterback hit. Also played seven snaps on special teams…Vs. Carolina (Dec. 19): Recorded four tackles (two solo) while playing 22 defensive snaps. Also got in on 15 special teams plays…Vs. Tennessee (Dec. 27): Got in on 13 defensive plays and made one solo tackle. Also appeared on 13 special teams plays…At Chicago (Jan. 3): Appeared on 11 defensive plays and 12 special teams plays…Vs. L.A. Rams (NFC Divisional, Jan. 16): Made his NFL playoff debut, playing four defensive snaps and 16 special teams snaps…Vs. Tampa Bay (NFC Championship, Jan. 24): Got in for 14 plays on defense, making two tackles (one solo). Also appeared on 11 special teams snaps.
2019: Started all eight games he appeared in and was named All-Big Ten honorable mention by the coaches and the media…Won the Gary Tinsley Award, given to the player who best embraced Tinsley's underdog persona…Recorded 66 tackles (36 solo), including 2½ for a loss, a sack, two forced fumbles and two INTs…Posted seven or more tackles in five contests…Missed five games due to injury…At Fresno State (Sept. 7): Led the team with 13 tackles (seven solo), the second-most tackles in a game during his career…At Purdue (Sept. 28): Registered six tackles (five solo) and a career-best two INTs, marking the first multiple-INT game by a Gopher since DB Cedric Thompson recorded two versus the Boilermakers in 2014…Vs. Illinois (Oct. 5): Forced two fumbles and led the team in tackles with seven (six solo)…Vs. Nebraska (Oct. 12): Named the Big Ten Player of the Week after leading the Gophers with a career-best 15 tackles (six solo). Was one of five players in the conference to register at least one game with 15-plus tackles in 2019…At Northwestern (Nov. 23): Notched eight tackles (six solo) and a sack…Vs. Wisconsin (Nov. 30): Recorded a team-high nine tackles (four solo).
2018: Saw action in 12 games with nine starts, recording 59 tackles (34 solo), 3½ tackles for a loss and two passes defensed…Ranked No. 4 on the Gophers in tackles…Registered five-plus tackles in six contests…Vs. Miami of Ohio (Sept. 15): Registered a pass defensed and led the team with eight tackles (six solo), the second most in a game on the season…At Maryland (Sept. 22): Posted seven tackles (four solo), including one for a loss…Vs. Iowa (Oct. 6): Recorded four tackles (three solo), a half-tackle for a loss and a pass defensed…At Ohio State (Oct. 13): Notched six tackles (five solo), including one for a loss…At Nebraska (Oct. 20): Recorded a season-high 10 tackles (six solo), including one for a loss, marking the third time in the last four games he registered a TFL…At Illinois (Nov. 3): Registered seven tackles, including six solo to tie his season high.
2017: Appeared in all 12 games and recorded 42 tackles (29 solo), 6½ tackles for a loss (No. 3 on the team), an INT, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries…At Oregon State (Sept. 9): Notched two tackles (one solo) and a sack, and recovered a fumble at the OSU 24-yard line late in the first quarter to set up a drive that resulted in a TD that gave the Gophers a 17-0 lead…At Purdue (Oct. 7): Posted seven tackles (five solo), and with the Boilermakers driving to the Minnesota 7-yard line in the second quarter, intercepted QB David Blough in the end zone to preserve a one-point lead and give the Gophers the ball at the 20-yard line…Vs. Michigan State (Oct. 14): Finished with a season-high eight tackles (four solo), a pass defensed and a forced fumble…Vs. Illinois (Oct. 21): Forced a fumble and notched five solo tackles…At Northwestern (Nov. 18): Recorded two tackles (one solo) and a sack, bringing down QB Clayton Thorson at the NU 48-yard line on a third down in the second quarter to force a punt…Vs. Wisconsin (Nov. 25): Recovered a fumble and registered three solo tackles.
2016: Played in 13 games and made one start, recording 10 tackles (seven solo), a half-sack, an INT and a fumble recovery…Vs. Oregon State (Sept. 1): Made his collegiate debut, recording a pass defensed and recovering a fumble that gave the Gophers the ball on their own 41-yard line, setting up a drive that resulted in a TD to give Minnesota a 14-7 lead in the second quarter…Vs. Indiana State (Sept. 10): Posted two assisted tackles and a half-sack (the first of his career)…Vs. Colorado State (Sept. 24): Made his first career start and tallied two solo tackles…Vs. Iowa (Oct. 8): Recorded his first career interception, picking off C.J. Beathard at the Minnesota 21 with just under seven minutes to play in the game and the Gophers holding a one-point lead…Vs. Washington State (Holiday Bowl, Dec. 27): Recorded a season-best three tackles (two solo).
HIGH SCHOOL: Played quarterback and safety for Burnsville (Minn.) High School…Led the team to a 9-2 overall mark and a 7-1 mark in conference play as a senior…Earned first-team all-state honors from the AP as an all-purpose contributor…Was named a finalist for Mr. Football in the state of Minnesota…As a senior, completed 63 of 117 passes (53.8 pct.) for 877 yards and nine TDs while also rushing for 400 yards and eight TDs on 88 carries (4.5 avg.)…On defense, finished with 79 tackles, two forced fumbles, an interception and 13 pass breakups…Paced a defense that recorded two shutouts and held the opposition to 10 or fewer points in seven of 11 games.
PERSONAL: Given name Kamal Adrian Martin…First name is pronounced kuh-MALL…Born in Burnsville, Minn. …Participated in community events such as Feed My Starving Children and Hope Kids MN as well as the annual turkey drive put on at TCF Bank Stadium…Has volunteered at multiple elementary schools in the Twin Cities area…Visited Tampa General Hospital while down in Florida for the Outback Bowl…Older brother, Kashif, also went to school at the University of Minnesota…Residence: Burnsville, Minn.
