Preseason preview: top-5 Patriots rookie spotlights

LB/S Marte Mapu

After skipping selecting a linebacker in the 2022 Draft and the retirement of safety Devin McCourty, Belichick found a way to replace both for the New England Patriots with one player: Marte Mapu.

OK, that’s a bit of a stretch. But Mapu is stretching the definition of each position.

On draft night, Mapu was a 6'3", 217-pound super-sized strong safety out of Sacramento State. Fast forward to now, and Mapu is up to 230 pounds and is lining up at safety and linebacker during training camp. And according to reports and his teammates, Mapu seemingly made a seamless transition.

This sounds like it has to be seen to be believed. Mapu can be a defensive wild card for Belichick, making it easier to switch between run and pass defense with minimal substitutions.

Mapu will also allow Belichick to disguise defensive play calls better, keeping offenses guessing. We remember Belichick is a massive fan of Derwin James. Now he has one of his own.

Mapu has been in a red non-contact jersey during camp as he recovers from a pectoral injury. It’s unlikely we’ll see Mapu play, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of anticipation to see this freak athlete on the field for a game.

The havoc Mapu could cause, especially when on the field with Kyle Dugger, has to be seen to believe. It probably won’t be this Thursday, but Mapu’s debut can’t come soon enough to witness what Mapu could do in Belichick’s hands.