As the Roanoke Rapids High School graduate and football standout took the field with his teammates today for official photographs, he was ushered to the front row where he sat with senior quarterback Bryn Renner and University ofNorth Carolina football coach Larry Fedora.

Martin, an All-Atlantic Coast Conference candidate for this year and 2012 All-ACC second team selection, is poised for his last season with the Tar Heels.

“Everyone is upbeat,” he said following the photo session.

Personally, with the NFL looking at him for a possible high draft selection, Martin said, “I'm working really hard to live up to the hype.”

On the media guide cover.

His photo on the cover of this year's Carolina media guide with Renner, Martin was surprised. “Not at all,” he said when asked if he ever imagined his face being on the cover and whether he imagined he would be at this point in his life. “It's been a blessing for me. That's been my dream to go to the top.”

College, he said, was more difficult than he imagined coming out of high school. He is maintaining a 2.9 GPA and will graduate early. “With the classes we had at Roanoke Rapids, I felt it better prepared me.”

Football training at Roanoke Rapids under coach Russell Weinstein was a huge catapult. “Coach Weinstein was a great coach. He started running college programs at our practices. That was big.”

Guiding him in his quest for an NFL career are his friends at home and his mother. “The people at home are proud of me and they tell me they are proud of me. I just want to give my mother a better life. That's really the focus.”

Posing for the official team photo.

Last year the Tar Heels were not eligible to play in bowl games so the team shifted gears, Martin said. “Our main goal was to win the ACC championship. We played really hard for the seniors. We really wanted to play for them.”

With the bowl blackout behind them, Martin said the Tar Heels are, “Building off the momentum,” gained from last season, which saw the team take a share of the ACC Coastal Division Championship. “It's time for us to play in a bowl game. Now we are playing for a bid, a different motivation.”

The college experience has helped him and now he looks forward to what's coming next. “It's been a great four years. I've become more excited (and) what's more exciting is about the next level.”

In preparation for the next level he has been watching NFL films of some of the great defensive ends. “A lot of the guys at my position, guys who make a lot of sacks.”

Posing for the individual team photo.

There are no shortcuts to get through all the levels he has attained. “It's a lot of hard work. My sophomore year I really could feel the potential for this.”

There's also academics, he said. “There's a lot of guys who can play but you have to have the academics. You just have to have a lot of dedication.”

Martin even looks at the career of former Weldon High School standout Kentawn Balmer for inspiration. “He had a great career. I've spoken to him. He's not bitter. I still look up to him. He taught me a lot and what he did he did for his family.”