The Houston Cougars are ¾ of the way through the season, and the 2026 recruiting class is continuing to grow. I’d like to start providing scouting reports on what each commit brings to the table, using highlight videos to make my assessment. My process is different from the staff’s would be.
Each week, the staff has interns cutting up the best and worst plays of each player they’re recruiting to track their progress. Position coaches may be asking for this as early as Sunday. Today, I am looking at Willis tight end Jaivion Martin.
Martin is one of the most recent commits of the 2026 recruiting class. He has 20+ offers and was initially committed to Arkansas. He stands at 6’3” and 254 lbs. and is a very good athlete. He also plays basketball at Willis.
On film, Martin shows excellent athleticism. I always like to check a prospect’s basketball highlights, and they don’t disappoint. He easily dunks on a vertical or drop step. It helps to emphasize his ability to win jump balls or visualize him winning in traffic.
On the football field, Martin is aggressive and plays with malice. You can see his short-area explosiveness with his first step off the ball as a DE. His strength is evident in how he wins at the line of scrimmage against offensive linemen as well. This translates well to the other side of the ball when he is asked to block. The baseline is to have a willing blocker at the position, and he has no problem mixing it up.
In the Willie Fritz offense, the ability for TEs to catch the ball is imperative. Martin shows excellent ability to catch the ball in traffic and to make acrobatic catches. He is an obvious weapon in the red zone with his frame and leaping ability, but he is not limited to attacking there.
One of my favorite things to see is the ability to attack the seam. He tracks the ball well and concentrates through the catch, even in traffic.
After he catches the ball, he turns into a bowling ball. Defenders hit him squarely and bounce off. He can take an underneath throw and turn it into a gain that either keeps the offense on schedule or gets the first down. Martin often drags multiple defenders and always seems to find a way to fall forward.
He recently scored on an 88-yard wheel route, too.
The Coogs are lucky to have earned Martin’s commitment. Slade Nagle has coached two excellent tight ends over the last two years and will continue to attract talent at that position.
More Javivion Martin highlights:
