Martin Emerson Jr. Bio
Martin Emerson Jr., known to many as “MJ,” is an American professional football cornerback in the National Football League. Born on September 27, 2000, in Pensacola, Florida, he rose from a three-star high school recruit to a starting NFL defensive back. After playing college football at Mississippi State, he was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing around 201 pounds, Emerson has built a reputation as a long, physical, and versatile corner.
Across his first three NFL seasons, Emerson developed into a dependable contributor on the outside and in the slot, recording tackles, pass breakups, and interceptions for one of the league’s most active defenses. He is currently with the New Orleans Saints after signing a one-year contract in April 2026, continuing his professional career at the game’s highest level.
Early Life and Background
Martin Emerson Jr. grew up in Pensacola, Florida, where he attended Pine Forest High School. A multi-sport athlete, he developed into a promising defensive back under the Eagles’ football program. As a senior, he produced 91 tackles, two tackles for loss, four passes broken up, one interception, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries, numbers that helped him attract attention from several college scouts.
Coming out of high school, Emerson was rated as a three-star recruit. Despite that rating, he received scholarship offers from major programs, including Miami, Oregon, and Ole Miss. After weighing his options, he chose to continue his football journey at Mississippi State, where he would go on to develop into one of the Southeastern Conference’s most reliable cover cornerbacks.
Path to the NFL
Emerson enrolled at Mississippi State University and joined the Bulldogs for the 2019 season. As a true freshman, he played in all 13 games and earned five starts, an unusually early opportunity that hinted at the coaching staff’s confidence in his length and instincts. By his sophomore season, he had grown into a full-time contributor, finishing with 72 total tackles and an SEC-high 11 pass breakups.
Pro Football Focus rated Emerson the seventh-best cornerback in coverage in the nation after his sophomore year and named him an honorable mention All-American. He was later recognized as a PFF third-team All-SEC selection following the 2021 season. Heading into the 2022 NFL Draft, analysts ranked him among the top cornerback prospects in the class, with Bleacher Report’s Cory Giddings slotting him seventh at the position and 60th overall on the big board.
Martin Emerson Jr. Career
Early Career (2022)
The Cleveland Browns selected Martin Emerson Jr. in the third round, 68th overall, of the 2022 NFL Draft. The pick was acquired in a trade with the Houston Texans, and the Browns followed the selection by trading cornerback Troy Hill to the Los Angeles Rams, signaling an opening in the secondary. On May 12, 2022, Emerson signed a four-year, $5.41 million rookie contract that included an initial signing bonus of $1.15 million.
He entered training camp competing with A. J. Green and Greedy Williams for the third cornerback role. After impressing the staff, he opened the regular season as the No. 3 cornerback behind Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome II. He made his NFL debut on September 11, 2022, against the Carolina Panthers, recording five combined tackles in a 26–24 Browns win. He finished his rookie year with 63 combined tackles, 15 pass deflections, and one sack in 17 games and six starts, earning a 72.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
Cleveland Browns Breakthrough (2023–2024)
In 2023, Emerson took a clear step forward. He recorded his first career interception on October 15 against Brock Purdy in a 19–17 win over the San Francisco 49ers, and he later set a season-high with two interceptions off Trevor Lawrence in a 31–27 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. He started nine consecutive games late in the season after Denzel Ward’s shoulder injury, finishing the year with 59 combined tackles, 14 pass deflections, and a career-high four interceptions across 16 games and 12 starts.
Emerson started his first career playoff game on January 13, 2024, in the AFC Wild-Card round against the Houston Texans, making two solo tackles in a 14–45 loss. Entering 2024, he won the No. 2 starting cornerback job opposite Denzel Ward. He started 15 of 17 games and set a new career high with 82 combined tackles (62 solo) while adding five pass deflections, though his 47.9 overall PFF grade placed him 194th among 222 qualifying cornerbacks for the year.
New Orleans Saints Era (2026–Present)
On July 29, 2025, Emerson suffered a season-ending Achilles tear during training camp, ending his Browns tenure before the regular year began. Once healthy, he reached a new deal on April 28, 2026, signing a one-year contract with the New Orleans Saints. The move gave him a fresh opportunity to reestablish himself as an outside cornerback with a new defensive scheme and coaching staff.
Emerson, who turns 26 during the 2026 season, joins a Saints secondary looking to blend veteran experience with young talent. His combination of size, length, and slot-outside versatility fits the mold of a modern NFL corner, and his prior production in Cleveland gives the team confidence he can contribute immediately.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his signature moments, Emerson’s first career interception against the 49ers in 2023 and his two-pick performance against the Jaguars later that season stand out as breakthrough games. He also made his postseason debut in the 2023 AFC Wild-Card round, and he became only the tenth cornerback selected in the 2022 NFL Draft after being taken 68th overall.
Martin Emerson Jr. Career Wins
While NFL cornerbacks are not typically credited with traditional “wins,” Emerson has been on the winning side of several meaningful team victories throughout his career, including a season-opening debut win over the Carolina Panthers in 2022, a 19–17 upset of the San Francisco 49ers in 2023, and a 31–27 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars later that same year. He has also helped the Browns to AFC North contention and a Wild-Card playoff berth.
Career Statistics Highlights
Through the 2025 NFL season, Emerson has played in more than 50 career games with numerous starts, totaling 202 combined tackles, 4 interceptions, 34 pass deflections, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery. His most productive year statistically came in 2024, when he set a personal best with 82 combined tackles across 17 games and 15 starts.
| Statistic | Career Total |
|---|---|
| Games Played | 50+ |
| Combined Tackles | 202 |
| Interceptions | 4 |
| Pass Deflections | 34 |
| Sacks | 1 |
Martin Emerson Jr. Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Martin Emerson Jr.’s immediate family is limited, and detailed details about his parents and siblings have not been widely published. He is the son of a Pensacola-based family that supported his athletic development from an early age.
Personal Life
Emerson maintains a relatively private personal life away from football. He is active on social media, including an Instagram account under the handle @martinemerson_1, where he shares updates about his training and career. He splits his time between his football responsibilities and time with close family and friends.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was a difficult chapter for Martin Emerson Jr. After a productive 2024 campaign in which he started 15 games and posted a career high in tackles, he was looking to build on that role with the Cleveland Browns. However, on July 29, 2025, he suffered a season-ending Achilles tear during training camp, which prevented him from appearing in any regular-season or postseason games.
The injury effectively ended his time in Cleveland, where he had spent his first four professional seasons. Through the 2025 campaign, his previous on-field impact with the Browns remained a key part of the team’s defensive foundation, and his absence was felt in the secondary. With his rookie contract expiring after 2025, Emerson entered the next phase of his career as a free agent.
Looking ahead, Emerson signed a one-year contract with the New Orleans Saints on April 28, 2026, giving him a clear opportunity to bounce back and re-establish himself as a starter. His experience, length, and proven coverage ability position him well to contribute immediately for a Saints defense in need of reliable cornerback play.
