LJ Martin is a Featured Back for BYU. LJ's 2025 season ranks in the 0th percentile nationally by opponent-adjusted EPA per play across 252 plays — a developing rate for the RB.
2026 Usage Outlook · projected share of team plays
Regressed toward the RB mean. Model correlation r≈0.52 on a 2019-2025 walk-forward — volume only; efficiency not projected.
2025 Production
Performance Analysis · 2025 · vs RB peers
The centerpiece of the run game — high carry volume, used in early downs and goal-line, true workhorse role.
- ▸Below-average efficiency vs RB peers — value comes through volume, not per-play impact.
- ▸High-volume role — one of the team's most-used RBs by play share.
- ▸Particularly dangerous on passing downs — efficiency spikes in obvious pass situations.
- ▸Production faded as the season progressed — 0.22 EPA/play decline from first to second half.
- ▸Peak game: 0.98 EPA/play in Wk 1 vs Portland State.
NIL Market Tier· 2025
On3 valuation ↗Meaningful starter. Local collective + position-group deals.
Tier is a model estimate based on position, school brand, performance rank, and usage — not a reported deal. NIL deals are private. For a real market valuation, see On3's NIL profile, which factors in social following and actual deal tracking.
Historical Comparables · RB · efficiency + volume + value
Players from 2014–2024 matched on EPA efficiency, play volume, and adjusted value tier — not just one metric.
| Player | Team | Yr | Plays | WEPA/play | Line val | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saquon Barkley | Penn State | 2016 | 288 | 0.340 | 3.9 | 97.9 |
| Dalvin Cook | Florida State | 2016 | 292 | 0.340 | 4.3 | 99.3 |
| Breece Hall | Iowa State | 2020 | 301 | 0.340 | 4.5 | 102.3 |
| Donnel Pumphrey | San Diego State | 2016 | 344 | 0.320 | 4.2 | 110.1 |
| Eno Benjamin | Arizona State | 2018 | 316 | 0.330 | 4.6 | 104.3 |
Comps are statistical — efficiency, volume, and value tier all factor in. Style and conference context differ.
Game Log · box score + EPA, week by week
| Wk | Opponent | Result | Opp SP+ | Car | Rush Yds | Avg | Rush TD | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TD | EPA/play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | vsPortland State | W69-0 | — | 8 | 131 | 16.4 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 0.98 |
| 2 | vsStanford | W27-3 | -11.8 | 18 | 110 | 6.1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0.21 |
| 4 | @East Carolina | W34-13 | 8.0 | 14 | 101 | 7.2 | 1 | — | — | — | 0.23 |
| 5 | @Colorado | W24-21 | -8.3 | 15 | 58 | 3.9 | 0 | 4 | 36 | 0 | -0.15 |
| 6 | vsWest Virginia | W38-24 | -6.8 | 21 | 90 | 4.3 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 0 | 0.29 |
| 7 | @Arizona | W33-27 | 12.0 | 25 | 162 | 6.5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.23 |
| 8 | vsUtah | W24-21 | 22.2 | 26 | 122 | 4.7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | -0.09 |
| 9 | @Iowa State | W41-27 | 9.9 | 5 | 15 | 3.0 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 11 | @Texas Tech | L7-29 | 27.6 | 10 | 35 | 3.5 | 0 | 6 | 29 | 0 | -0.09 |
| 12 | vsTCU | W44-13 | 8.3 | 21 | 88 | 4.2 | 1 | 4 | 34 | 0 | 0.04 |
| 13 | @Cincinnati | W26-14 | 4.5 | 32 | 222 | 6.9 | 2 | 3 | 44 | 0 | 0.39 |
| 14 | vsUCF | W41-21 | -1.2 | 22 | 95 | 4.3 | 3 | 5 | 35 | 0 | 0.13 |
| 15 | vsTexas Tech | L7-34 | 27.6 | 19 | 76 | 4.0 | 1 | 7 | 31 | 0 | -0.06 |
Usage & Situational · Pro
- Standard downs
- 0.10
- Passing downs
- 0.34
- Pass / Rush EPA
- 0.20 / 0.14
Usage = share of team plays (CFBD has no true snap counts).