2012 NFL Draft: Stanford Tackle Jonathan Martin Declares for Draft

After a tough loss to Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl, Stanford offensive tackle Jonathan Martin has declared for the NFL Draft. According to Joe Schad of ESPN, Martin made the difficult decision to leave the Cardinal today.

The All-Pac 12 tackle served as the blind-side protector for quarterback Andrew Luck, who will also enter the draft. Scouts Inc. ranks Martin as the No. 6 overall prospect in the draft and the No. 2 offensive tackle behind USC's Ryan Kalil.

With that in mind it certainly is no surprise that Martin decided to make the leap. With Luck leaving and guard David DeCastro possibly doing the same, there is likely to be a fairly steep drop off at Stanford next season. Because of that, Martin has probably accomplished everything he possibly can at the collegiate level.

There are several teams within the top 10 that could benefit from a franchise tackle, including the St. Louis Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills. If Martin gets past Buffalo at No. 10 it would be quite surprising, so declaring would seem to be the right move.

While it's difficult to gauge an offensive lineman's worth statistically, all you have to do is look at the productivity of Stanford's skill position players over the past couple seasons to understand how valuable of an asset Martin has been.

Luck has thrown for 69 touchdowns and has completed over 70 percent of his passes over the last two seasons, while running back Stepfan Taylor has racked up consecutive 1,000-yard seasons on the ground. That tells you everything you need to know about Martin's ability pass blocking and run blocking.

Although you can never tell for sure when it comes to the NFL Draft, Martin seems to have significantly lower bust potential than many recent draftees at the position. His size, smarts and production make him a player who can likely anchor an offensive line for a decade or more.