Over the course of 10 months, Jacoby Martin transitioned from uncertainty about his senior football season to securing a spot on a college roster.
On Tuesday evening, Martin, a three-time All-Sandhills Athletic Conference selection from Richmond Senior High School, announced his commitment to East Carolina University.
Martin shared his announcement on X, expressing, “Firstly, I want to thank God for blessing me and giving me the chance to do what I love most! After a great discussion with Coach Roy Tesh, I am excited to commit to East Carolina University.”
As a defensive end for the Raiders, Martin earned a preferred walk-on position with the Pirates.
He becomes the second Richmond football player to commit to ECU in recent years, joining defensive lineman J.D. Lampley (class of 2022), who has been a starter in Greenville for the past two seasons.
Martin also received a preferred walk-on offer from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and attracted “serious interest” from Appalachian State, Gardner-Webb, and Western Carolina.
Martin noted, “I’ve visited ECU multiple times for camps and tours, and they showed the most support. They consistently kept in touch with me, which really meant a lot.”
He added, “I was already familiar with ECU’s football program, which is quite similar to how things are run at Richmond. I was drawn to their large community fan base, which mirrors my experience at Richmond.”
In May, Martin suffered a ruptured left Achilles tendon at the 910 Classic football camp, putting both his senior season and college prospects at risk. He chose not to have surgery and returned during the Raiders’ sixth game of the season.
Earlier this week, after being medically cleared by ECU’s staff, Tesh confirmed that the preferred walk-on offer still stood, prompting Martin to make his decision.
“This has always been my goal to play Division I football,” Martin said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity and relieved to be recruited. The recruitment process was intense.”
Returning to the Raiders, who had a 1-4 record, Martin played in their home game against Pinecrest High School on September 22, helping to turn around their season. With Martin on the defensive front, the Raiders won four of their last five games to secure a playoff spot.
In his senior year, Martin recorded 19 total tackles (17 solo), 9.0 tackles-for-loss, 4.0 sacks, and a safety in a win against Union Pines High School.
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