Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM SEPT. 26, 2026 45 The versatile junior defensive back has been playing football basically his entire life and has learned a ton from his father. "He sees the game differently than a lot of young men," the elder Martin said. "He's sat through film sessions and has watched me evaluate talent. Maddon asks questions about what I'm looking at, and he's been around a lot of coaches throughout his life who have given him insights and helped him prepare. "He looks at the game holistically. He plays Madden not just to play the game but to build rosters, and anyone who takes that approach is focused on details of the sport." Maddon explained that he learns from his father in two ways: through intentional film breakdowns and con- versations about football, and by being a sponge as he listens to his dad talk to others about roster management. "I love to be around when he has those conversations because I've be- come really interested in it," Martin said. "When I was younger, we'd sit down, and he'd teach me things. It was something I loved to learn. I'd see what my dad did, and I wanted to hear more about it. We'd watch film together, and he'd explain things to me. "As I grew older, I'd just be around him and hear what he has to say. Also, I go to him to watch film and break down things I can apply to my game." Much of their film breakdown in the past couple of years has focused on helping Maddon scout and prepare for opponents. "Those are things he's taught me to do that I've applied," Martin added. "Him being available and a resource to me has been a big help." MADDON'S UNIQUE RECRUITMENT Bos to n Co l l e ge , BY U, M i sso u r i , Northwestern, Oklahoma and Toledo are among the schools that are in com- munication with Martin but haven't of- fered yet. Maddon said that up to this point, any conversations about him earning an opportunity to play for the Fighting Irish have been more playful in nature than anything. "Hey Dad, I've got this '28 cornerback for you," Martin said, explaining what one of those humorous chats might be like. "His name is Maddon Martin, and he goes to St. Joe." There are 14 months to go until sign- ing day for the 2028 class. There's no need to rush any conversations or de- cisions regarding Maddon potentially playing at Notre Dame. "'Make it obvious' is what he tells me all the time," Martin said. In other words, he needs to play so well as a junior that Notre Dame has no choice but to extend the opportunity. If it happens, he'd be ecstatic, but Maddon is considering his other options as well. "I've had to restart at different schools over the years, but I've always had my family to help me," he noted when asked if he wanted to stay close to his current home or branch out. "But on the other hand, it would be cool to do something on my own. At the end of the day, I have to choose what's best for me." There have been several occasions when college coaches expressed interest in Maddon and later found out who his father was. That's how Maddon prefers it. He wants to deserve all the interest he garners. "I do a lot of work on my recruit- ment on my own," Maddon Martin said. "I create videos and push them out to coaches. My dad tries to stay out of the way and let it happen naturally. I don't want anything given to me; I want to earn it." It can be a fine line for a father in Mike Martin's position between stepping in too much to boost his son's recruitment and not doing enough as a dad. Mike wants to help his son through the re- cruiting process but not in a way that oversteps. "I want it to be about Maddon as much as possible," Mike Martin ex- plained. "I just want him to have a fair opportunity that he deserves and has earned. He does all sorts of workouts and training throughout the week. Maddon has great effort and desire. This is about what he's put on film. "As a dad, I'm advocating for my son to get a fair opportunity and a fair shake in an evaluation." ✦ Maddon Martin, a class of 2028 defensive back, made 34 tackles and broke up 11 passes en route to all-conference accolades for South Bend Saint Joseph High School in 2025. He has earned scholar- ship offers from Auburn, Miami (Ohio), Eastern Kentucky, Alabama State, San Diego State, Austin Peay, Coastal Carolina and East Carolina. PHOTO BY MIKE SINGER