SLIPPERY ROCK — Slippery Rock University football standouts Marcus Martin and Ian Park are headed to the NFL.

Moments after the league's draft ended Saturday night, Martin signed as a free agent with the Seattle Seahawks while offensive lineman Park did likewise with the Philadelphia Eagles.

“Having two priority (NFL) free agent signings like this in the same year, I believe that's a first for Slippery Rock,” SRU coach Shawn Lutz said. “It's a pretty cool thing for our program.”

The 6-foot-2, 255-pound Martin set the college football record, all divisions, with 56 career quarterback sacks as a defensive end at The Rock. Yet the Seahawks signed him as a fullback.

“It's all about the measureables,” Martin said. “(Pro) scouts talked to me about fullback during the recruiting process. It is what it is. If fullback is my best opportunity, I'll do that.”

He never played fullback in high school or college. Martin was a tight end offensively at West Mifflin and played strictly defensive end at The Rock.

“He is such a strong, powerful guy,” Lutz said. “Marcus is used to coming out of a three-point stance and bull-rushing people, powering his way through.

“Pro scouts like his potential as a fullback for that reason. He can come out of that stance and clear space for the tailback.”

Martin played some fullback in the East-West Shrine Game and scored his team's lone touchdown on a pass play.

“That definitely helped raise my stock. I made all my blocks, too, against top competition in that game,” Martin said.

“NFL defensive ends are 6-4 or 6-5 ... Marcus doesn't bring that,” Lutz said. “He's not worried about what position he's playing. He just wants to play.”

Lutz said the Seahawks contacted Martin during the fourth round of Saturday's draft. The team expressed interest in him, told him they weren't going to draft a fullback, and wanted to sign him immediately after the draft.

The Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers and Arizona Cardinals also had interest in Martin.

“Denver was the only team interested in Marcus as a defensive end,” Lutz said. “Seattle only has one fullback on its roster. I like Marcus' chances of sticking there.”

The Seahawks also signed Michigan fullback Khalid Hill as a free agent.

“It will be me and him competing,” Martin said. “But I feel like, physically, I stack up well.

“Regardless of what team I'm with, I feel like I can succeed as a fullback in the NFL.”

The 6-4, 315-pound Park, an Upper St. Clair product, started six games at right guard for SRU and made first team All-PSAC despite missing five games with a foot injury. Park had started 18 games for Northwestern in the Big Ten before transferring to The Rock.

The San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns also liked Park.

“The injury may have hurt my draft status. I feel like it did,” Park said. “But I know the Eagles were interested in me. They kept tabs on me all through the draft.

“As soon as the last pick was made, they called and offered me a contract. It was only seconds after that last pick.”

Lutz said Park “would very likely have gotten drafted if he had stayed healthy last year. He was on everybody's list.”

Trying to land a roster spot on the defending Super Bowl champions' roster is not intimidating to Park.

“Not at all,” he said. “I'm going in there to show what I can do. The fact the Eagles showed so much interest in me is a good feeling.

“I'm going pro ... so why not go to the best? There's an experienced offensive line there and I'm looking forward to learning from those guys.”

Lutz believes Park “can at least make their practice squad” if he stays healthy during training camp.

Martin and Park report to mini-rookie camp with their respective teams in the next few days.