The New England Patriots are known for selecting at least one mostly unknown player from a small school in the draft each year, and they didn’t disappoint in the 2023 NFL draft with their third-round pick being Sacramento State linebacker/safety Marte Mapu.
Anyone that does homework on Mapu would quickly find a hidden treasure of a defensive talent. Mapu plays fast, loose and violent on the football field. He’s like a magnet that always seems to be around the ball.
It’s no surprise the pick has generated a tremendous amount of praise.
Mapu recently revealed the late, great Junior Seau was his uncle. So his arrival in New England makes for both a feel-good story and a needed addition for a unit that could use more speed in the middle of the defense.
Here’s how people were grading the Patriots’ No. 76 overall pick after the draft: