Martinas Rankin
{{Short description|American football player (born 1994)}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Martinas Rankin
| image = Martinas Rankin.png
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Rankin with the Chiefs in 2019
| current_team =
| number = 74, 75, 77
| position = Offensive tackle
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|10|20}}
| birth_place = Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lb = 311
| high_school = Mendenhall {{nowrap|(Mendenhall, Mississippi)}}
| college = Mississippi State
| draftyear = 2018
| draftround = 3
| draftpick = 80
| pastteams =
- Houston Texans ({{NFL Year|2018}})
- Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|2019}}–{{NFL Year|2020}})
| status =
| highlights =
- Super Bowl champion (LIV)
- Kent Hull Trophy (2017)
- First-team All-SEC (2017)
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 23
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 10
| pfr = RankMa00
}}
Martinas Orlando Rankin{{Cite web |title=Martinas Rankin |url=http://hailstate.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=4170 |access-date=December 9, 2017 |website=HailState.com}} (born October 20, 1994) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs and was selected by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2018 NFL draft. He was also a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Early life
After playing at Mendenhall High School in Mendenhall, Mississippi, Rankin spent two years at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Perkinston, Mississippi. He was rated as the ninth best junior college recruit by 247 Sports{{Cite web |title=2015 Top Football Recruits |url=https://247sports.com/Season/2015-Football/CompositeRecruitRankings/?InstitutionGroup=JuniorCollege |access-date=December 9, 2017 |website=247sports.com}} and committed to play at Mississippi State over offers from Oklahoma, Florida, Louisville, Missouri, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Texas, and others.{{Cite web |title=Martinas Rankin |url=https://247sports.com/Player/Martinas-Rankin-55079/junior-college-94602 |access-date=December 9, 2017 |website=247sports.com}}
College career
Rankin redshirted in 2015 and earned a starting job as a junior in 2016. He had a breakout year in 2017, winning the Kent Hull Trophy{{Cite web |date=November 21, 2017 |title=Senior Martinas Rankin Wins 2017 Kent Hull Trophy |url=http://www.hailstate.com/news/2017/11/21/football-senior-martins-rankin-wins-2017-kent-hull-trophy.aspx?path=football |access-date=December 9, 2017 |website=HailState.com}} and being named to the 2017 All-SEC football team.
Professional career
=Pre-draft=
Before his senior season, Rankin was projected as a first round pick in the 2018 NFL draft by several writers.{{Cite web |last=Thornhill |first=Gardner |date=May 20, 2017 |title=Mississippi State OL Martinas Rankin projected as First Round Draft Pick |url=https://maroonandwhitenation.com/2017/05/20/mississippi-state-offensive-lineman-martinas-rankin-projected-as-first-round-nfl-draft-pick/ |access-date=December 9, 2017 |website=Fansided}} Rankin's draft stock began to slide after he sustained an ankle injury during the season and also had mediocre performances against LSU and Auburn.{{Cite web |last=Wimberly |first=Jake |date=May 5, 2018 |title=Believe it or not, Mississippi State OT Martinas Rankin showing up in 2018 mock draft 1st rounds |url=http://gridironnow.com/mississippi-state-martinas-rankin-2018-draft/ |access-date=August 21, 2018 |website=gridironnow.com}} On November 16, 2017, it was announced that Rankin had accepted his invitation to play in the 2018 Senior Bowl.{{Cite web |title=Rotoworld.com: Matinas invited to the Senior Bowl |url=http://www.rotoworld.com/headlines/cfb/75648/martinas-rankin-invited-to-the-senior-bowl |access-date=August 21, 2018 |website=rotoworld.com}} On January 20, 2018, it was reported that Rankin would be unable to play in the Senior Bowl due to an ankle injury he sustained in the TaxSlayer Bowl. Rankin attended the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, but did not perform any drills due to the foot injury he sustained. On March 28, 2018, he attended Mississippi State's pro day, but chose to only perform the broad jump and vertical jump. Rankin also attended a private meetings with representatives from the Cincinnati Bengals and Denver Broncos.{{Cite web |last=McGuire |first=Steve |date=April 24, 2018 |title=Martinas Rankin 2018 NFL Draft Profile |url=https://lastwordonprofootball.com/2018/04/24/martinas-rankin-2018-nfl-draft-profile/ |access-date=August 21, 2018 |website=lastwordonprofootball.com}}{{Cite web |last=Walden |first=Tylor |date=April 10, 2018 |title=Mississippi State OT Martinas Rankin Visits Broncos |url=https://predominantlyorange.com/2018/04/10/ot-martinas-rankin-visits-broncos/ |access-date=March 22, 2021 |website=Predominantly Orange |language=en-US}} At the conclusion of the pre-draft process, Rankin was projected to be a second or third round pick by NFL draft experts and scouts. He was ranked as the fourth best offensive tackle by Scouts Inc. and was ranked the seventh best offensive tackle in the draft by DraftScout.com and Sports Illustrated.{{Cite web |title=Martinas Rankin, DS #7 OT, Mississippi State |url=http://www.draftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=1003782&draftyear=2018&genpos=ot |access-date=August 21, 2018 |website=draftscout.com}}{{Cite web |title=NFL Martinas Rankin-ESPN |url=http://espn.com/nfl/draftcard?playerId=101529 |access-date=August 21, 2018 |website=ESPN.com}}{{Cite web |date=March 7, 2018 |title=The 2018 NFL Draft Big Board, Vol. 2 |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/03/07/nfl-draft-top-prospects-big-board-top-100 |access-date=August 18, 2018 |website=SI.com}}
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 4+3/8
| weight = 308
| dash =
| ten split =
| twenty split =
| shuttle =
| cone drill =
| vertical = 29
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 0
| bench =
| wonderlic =
| arm span = 33 3/4
| hand span = 10 1/8
| note = All values from NFL Combine /Mississippi State's Pro Day{{Cite web |title=NFL Draft Profile: Martinas Ranking |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/martinas-rankin?id=32462018-0002-5601-845a-acb4f8dd89a0 |access-date=August 21, 2018 |website=National Football League}}
}}
=Houston Texans=
The Houston Texas selected Rankin in the third round with the 80th overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft. Rankins was the eighth offensive tackle drafted in 2018.{{Cite web |title=2018 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2018/draft.htm |access-date=February 25, 2019 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} The pick used to draft Rankin was acquired in a trade that sent Duane Brown to the Seattle Seahawks.{{Cite web |last=Kollmann |first=Brett |date=April 27, 2018 |title=Houston Texans Select Martinas Rankin With 80th Overall Pick |url=https://www.battleredblog.com/2018/4/27/17291888/2018-nfl-draft-houston-texans-select-martinas-rankin-with-80th-overall-pick |access-date=June 10, 2018 |website=BattleRedBlog.com}} On May 10, 2018, the Texans signed Rankin to a four-year, $3.54 million contract that includes a signing bonus of $901,268.{{Cite web |title=Spotrac.com: Martinas Rankin contract |url=https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/houston-texans/martinas-rankin-25179/ |access-date=August 21, 2018 |website=Spotrac.com}}
{{external media
| video1 =
[http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-draft/0ap3000000929655/Texans-select-Martinas-Rankin-No-80-in-the-2018-NFL-Draft Texans draft Martinas Rankin 80th overall]
| video2 =
[http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-draft/0ap3000000926314/Breaking-down-Martinas-Rankin-s-college-highlights NFL Draft Profile: Martinas Rankin]
}}
The Texans stated they drafted Rankin to play offensive tackle although many scouts and draft experts viewed him as an interior offensive lineman in the NFL. During rookie minicamp, Rankin sustained a foot injury which required surgery and was sidelined for the entire training camp.{{Cite web |last=Wesseling |first=Chris |date=July 12, 2018 |title=Texans rookie OT Rankin recovering from foot surgery |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/texans-rookie-ot-rankin-recovering-from-foot-surgery-0ap3000000936927 |access-date=August 21, 2018 |website=NFL.com}}
=Kansas City Chiefs=
On August 31, 2019, Rankin was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for running back Carlos Hyde.{{Cite web |last=Patra |first=Kevin |date=August 31, 2019 |title=Texans acquire vet RB Carlos Hyde from Chiefs |url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001045907/article/texans-trade-for-vet-rb-carlos-hyde-from-chiefs |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904134828/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001045907/article/texans-trade-for-vet-rb-carlos-hyde-from-chiefs |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 4, 2019 |access-date=March 22, 2021 |website=NFL.com}} He started five games at left guard before suffering a knee injury in Week 10. He was placed on injured reserve on November 11, 2019.{{Cite web |last=Goldman |first=Charles |date=November 11, 2019 |title=Chiefs send OL Martinas Rankin to IR; sign OT Jackson Barton |url=https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/2019/11/11/kansas-city-chiefs-transactions-martinas-rankin-injured-reserve-sign-ot-jackson-barton/ |access-date=March 22, 2021 |website=USA Today}} During his absence, the Chiefs went on to win Super Bowl LIV, their first championship in 50 years.{{Cite web |last=Shook |first=Nick |date=February 2, 2020 |title=Chiefs rally once again to defeat 49ers, win SB LIV |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/chiefs-rally-once-again-to-defeat-49ers-win-sb-liv-0ap3000001100762 |access-date=October 31, 2023 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}} He was placed on the active/physically unable to perform list (PUP) at the start of training camp on July 31, 2020.{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Charean |date=July 31, 2020 |title=Chiefs place Juan Thornhill, Martinas Rankin on PUP |url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/07/31/chiefs-place-juan-thornhill-martinas-rankin-on-pup/ |access-date=August 1, 2020 |website=NBCSports.com}} He was moved to the reserve/PUP list at the start of the regular season on September 5, 2020.{{Cite web |date=September 5, 2020 |title=Chiefs Roster Down to NFL-Mandated 53 |url=https://www.chiefs.com/news/chiefs-roster-down-to-nfl-mandated-53-x6671 |access-date=September 12, 2020 |website=Chiefs.com}} He was activated on November 10.{{Cite web |last=Goldman |first=Charles |date=November 10, 2020 |title=Chiefs make several transactions on Tuesday |url=https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/2020/11/10/kansas-city-chiefs-transactions-demone-harris-martinas-rankin-braxton-hoyett/ |access-date=December 16, 2020 |website=USAToday.com}} He was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the Chiefs on November 16, 2020,{{Cite web |last=Alper |first=Josh |date=November 16, 2020 |title=Eric Fisher, Mitchell Schwartz go on COVID-19 list |url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/11/16/eric-fisher-mitchell-schwartz-go-on-covid-19-list/ |access-date=December 23, 2020 |website=NBCSports.com}} and activated on November 23.{{Cite web |last=Goldman |first=Charles |date=November 23, 2020 |title=Chiefs activate OL Martinas Rankin from reserve/COVID-19 list |url=https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/2020/11/23/kansas-city-chiefs-martinas-rankin-activated-covid-19-reserve-list/ |access-date=December 23, 2020 |website=USAToday.com}} He was waived on June 17, 2021.{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Charean |author-link=Charean Williams |date=June 17, 2021 |title=Chiefs cut Martinas Rankin |url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/06/17/chiefs-cut-martinas-rankin/ |access-date=June 20, 2021 |website=NBCSports.com}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Commons}}
- {{Twitter}}
- [http://www.hailstate.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=4170 Mississippi State Bulldogs bio]
{{Kent Hull Trophy}}
{{Texans2018DraftPicks}}
{{Super Bowl LIV}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rankin, Martinas}}
Category:People from Mendenhall, Mississippi
Category:Players of American football from Mississippi
Category:American football offensive tackles
Category:Mississippi State Bulldogs football players
Category:Houston Texans players