MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State’s running back position received added depth on Monday as the Wildcats signed transfer Antonio Martin Jr.
Martin spent spring practices at ULM after competing the 2024 season at Southeastern Louisiana. Prior to that, the Atlanta, Georgia, native was at Blinn College in 2023 after redshirting the 2022 season at Georgia Tech.
Last season at Southeastern, Martin played in 12 games with nine starts as he totaled 1,228 yards and 11 touchdowns en route to All-Southland Conference First Team honors. He was also named a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, which goes to the top offensive player in the FCS. He ranked 12th in the FCS with 102.3 rushing yards per game, while he was 14th in total rushing yards and 35th in all-purpose yards per game (108.50).
Martin’s best game of 2024 came against Tarleton State when he racked up 206 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries, earning Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week accolades. His 206 rushing yads were the 12th most by an FCS player in a single game last year, while his three touchdowns tied for 13th. He also tallied 100-yard rushing games against Eastern Washington (149 yards), East Texas A&M (185 yards) and Northwestern State (110 yards).
In 2023 at Blinn, Martin ranked 10th in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) with 80.4 rushing yards per game, thanks in part to three 100-yard rushing performances.
Martin was regarded as the 256th-best overall prospect in the Class of 2022 by ESPN, which also rated him the 21st-best running back. He ran for 1,114 yards and 16 touchdowns during his senior season as he earned first team all-state honors from the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association and honorable mention accolades from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Following a 9-4 campaign in 2024 – its third-straight season with at least nine wins – Kansas State kicks off the 2025 season by taking on Iowa State in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, August 23, at Avivia Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.