New England Patriots versatile defender Marte Mapu, who the team selected with the No. 76 overall pick in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, may be settling in at a permanent position.
Mapu was drafted by Bill Belichick as a sort of 'chess piece' type player who can fill multiple roles on the defense as an undersized linebacker and oversized player in the secondary.
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But according to Mass Live's Chris Mason observations from mandatory minicamp as well as new head coach Jerod Mayo himself, Mapu could be settling into a more permanent role.
From Mason: During the two-minute period, second-year hybrid Marte Mapu was getting quite a bit of run at linebacker alongside New England’s other prominent defenders. It looks like that could be a home for him in obvious passing situations.
Mayo talked about the multi-utilization potential of Mapu, who did not make a big impact in 2023.
“When we scouted Marte, it was kind of going back and forth between, let’s say a big slot corner, a bigger safety, or smaller linebacker,” Mayo said. “That versatility is still in play. He’s done both of them throughout the spring. I don’t know how much—I guess it would depend on the team. Like, if we’re playing a heavy run team, you don’t want to have a 220-pound linebacker in there. But, he’s one of those guys that, he understands the defense conceptually. Very smart guy and his versatility will definitely get him on the field.”
It sounds like a big year could be loading for Mapu as he looks to carve out a permanent role.
Source : athlonsports.com
