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PFF chooses Blake Martinez as potential first-time All-Pro selection Pro Football Focus picked a potential first-time All-Pro selection at each position heading into the 2021 season, and when it came to the linebackers, Blake Martinez was the choice. As PFF's Ben Linsey wrote, "Martinez’s 75.9 PFF grade last season — his first with New York — represented the best mark of his career. That performance was also good enough to make him the fifth-most valuable off-ball linebacker in the NFL, according to PFF’s Wins Above Replacement metric. Martinez had success at various points in the middle of the Green Bay Packers’ defense as both a run defender and a coverage defender, but he rarely succeeded in both areas at the same time. “Part of his inclusion on this list is that the Giants’ defense as a whole could very well be impressive next season under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. New York boasts one of the deepest secondaries in the league and has several disruptive presences along the defensive line. That could put Martinez in position to accumulate statistics that matter to All-Pro voters." Martinez has not missed a game in four years. In his first season with the Giants, he recorded 151 tackles (86 solo), three sacks, nine tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one interception and five passes defensed. PFF is not the only one to heap praise on Martinez recently. Just last week, NFL.com's Dan Hanzus picked the 27-year-old linebacker to be the Giants' 2021 MVP. Meanwhile, Giants legend and two-time Super Bowl champion Justin Tuck joined Big Blue Kickoff last month and compared the linebacker to Antonio Pierce, the anchor of the Giants' 2007 Super Bowl-winning defense.21 Questions: Sleeper player to watch With the calendar flipped to July, Giants.com asks 21 important questions heading into the team's 2021 training camp at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center. For 21 days, a member of the Giants.com crew will answer one question about the roster, coaching staff, schedule, and much more. No. 9: Who is a sleeper player to watch on the roster? Lance Medow: The Giants were very aggressive this offseason, adding several players through free agency and the draft at various positions. That’s why it’s very easy to overlook former Vikings edge rusher Ifeadi Odenigbo, who proved to be a nice complement to Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffin in Minnesota over the last two seasons. The Giants need someone to assume a similar role opposite pass rusher Leonard Williams. They also lost Kyler Fackrell to the Chargers after he finished tied for second on the team with four sacks in 2020. Odenigbo had seven sacks in 2019 and although his total dipped to 3.5 last season, he also recorded 15 quarterback hits, three tackles for loss and a safety. He's capable of being a disruptive player. It's all about opportunity within the Giants' scheme.Photos: LB Blake Martinez's first season with Giants Check out the gallery below to view photos of linebacker Blake Martinez in his first season with the Giants.

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Giants Now: Accolades for LB Blake Martinez