Rookie Mapu Already Playing Among the Starters

[RobertWeathers]

I asked @BaconGrundleCandy about this right after the draft and there were MANY you answered with derision...

He got the speed and the build for sure. If they think he has the cover skills, ok then but i'm still surprised.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Based on his film, he covers the field effortlessly, and he hits like a truck. He is going to quickly close holes, if he adapts to the NFL and can stay healthy (big ifs for almost everyone drafted).

"Cover" means many things to different players.

Chung was elite from 0-15 yards from the LoS but after that was a liability.

Jones is elite from 0-25 but after that is a liability.

Gilly, Law, Talib could stick to air on all levels.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

He isn't really fast enough - 4.59 40 yard vs 4.4 for McCourty.

But then I always remember that Ed Reed ran a 4.57 time, and nobody called him slow.

I can see us playing some (or a lot of) 3-safety packages - his versatility would serve us well there, perhaps playing the star.

4.59 sec is from a Pro Day? Where did you find that? He was not at the Combine and tore his pec so he did not participate in his Pro Day. NFLDraftBuzz lists a 40 time but there is no indication where it came from so I doubt it is real.

A 4.59 would not surprise me. One website said he ran about 19.9 mph on his tape which translates to roughly 4.55 sec 40.

Mapu wasn't invited to the NFL Combine and couldn't participate in Sacramento State's pro day due to his torn pec, so his athleticism can't be measured by traditional 40-yard dash times or three-cone shuttles.

 

[n1997y]

This is surprising....FS.

Could be another one of those "positionless" defensive players..

Return of the “Amoeba Defense”

 

[Zuma]

Return of the “Amoeba Defense”

Maybe that’s what BB has I mind.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Maybe that’s what BB has I mind.

If the opposing offense does not know if Mapu is blitzing or dropping back into the deep third, there is a lot of mind games to be played. Nothing but good things for the D.

 

[Huckleberry1]

If he becomes the next Jack Lambert I will be OK with that.

 

[Toofy]

Josh Allen here we come . Truck vs truck ... Run at your own peril.

 

[State]

At 216# some might think him too undersized. For comparison, Ted Hendricks - The Mad Stork - was damn good. He was listed at 6'7" 220# but if he was 220# it was in full kit.

Um, yeah. I remember him. But OGs were a lot smaller than what Mapu will face. 265 LBs versus Trey Smith of the Chiefs, 320+.

Mapu will struggle against power gap teams that have superior lines.

He has the ability to shoot the gap making the tackle for a loss with his his speed and quickness when teams run away from the weakside.

Look for Philly the first game to run right at Mapu whenever he’s in and it’s not third and long.

He needs to be 225+.

 

[State]

If he becomes the next Jack Lambert I will be OK with that.

Does he have all his teeth?

 

[n1997y]

If the opposing offense does not know if Mapu is blitzing or dropping back into the deep third, there is a lot of mind games to be played. Nothing but good things for the D.

It’s even better if the opposing offense has no idea what anybody on D will be doing. That was the entire point of the Amoeba Defense. Here’s a good refresher. Makes me curious if, and how, BB might try that sort of thing with a relatively green defensive roster. It will be interesting to see what he comes up with.

How the Patriots defense put Bill Belichick’s brain to greater use this season than it had in a decade

 

[SammyBlueCat]

So,,, Is he MY TYPE of player?

No consensus quite yet

 

[Joker]

So,,, Is he MY TYPE of player?

No consensus quite yet

I hear he's quetzalcoatl quick..(like a giant flying snake)....

 

[VJCPatriot]

4.59 sec is from a Pro Day? Where did you find that? He was not at the Combine and tore his pec so he did not participate in his Pro Day. NFLDraftBuzz lists a 40 time but there is no indication where it came from so I doubt it is real.

A 4.59 would not surprise me. One website said he ran about 19.9 mph on his tape which translates to roughly 4.55 sec 40.

Mapu wasn't invited to the NFL Combine and couldn't participate in Sacramento State's pro day due to his torn pec, so his athleticism can't be measured by traditional 40-yard dash times or three-cone shuttles.

It all depends on the usage. If Mapu is used as a linebacker 4.59 is average for a linebacker and should be sufficient. If he's used as a safety that is on the slow side and probably limits him to short area coverage instead of deep safety.

Not a huge fan of the pick. But since he's a Patriot now, I'm taking the wait and see approach to see if he can succeed as a tweener in BB's system. He usually never goes for a linebacker that small - 6'2 and 217 lbs.

 

[Jim Beankie]

4.59 sec is from a Pro Day? Where did you find that? He was not at the Combine and tore his pec so he did not participate in his Pro Day. NFLDraftBuzz lists a 40 time but there is no indication where it came from so I doubt it is real.

A 4.59 would not surprise me. One website said he ran about 19.9 mph on his tape which translates to roughly 4.55 sec 40.

Mapu wasn't invited to the NFL Combine and couldn't participate in Sacramento State's pro day due to his torn pec, so his athleticism can't be measured by traditional 40-yard dash times or three-cone shuttles.

Thanks for that input. For reference, here's the 19.9mph mention. It was in-game for the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, which makes it impressive, since it's probably not anywhere close to max. Since he's 6'3", chances are his top speed is better than his acceleration.

These analytics suggest Marte Mapu has serious upside with Patriots

What kind of a player are the Patriots getting in Sacramento State hybrid safety Marte Mapu? Cory Yates of Reel Analytics highlighted some unique data that should get New England fans excited about the team’s third-round pick.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

 

[Immortan Joe]

He isn't really fast enough - 4.59 40 yard vs 4.4 for McCourty.

But then I always remember that Ed Reed ran a 4.57 time, and nobody called him slow.

I can see us playing some (or a lot of) 3-safety packages - his versatility would serve us well there, perhaps playing the star.

Mapu was not invited to the Combine and was not able to do any testing during the run-up to the draft. Not sure where the 4.59 is from?

Edit: This was already addressed, my bad.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Does he have all his teeth?

Easy fix.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Not sure where the 4.59 is from?

From a draft site, without attribution. But it's also consistent with a game-speed measurement by one of the tracking companies. So might not be an "official" time, but seems plausible. It's very fast for a LB, but not so good for a FS. Comparable to Chung.

 

[Huckleberry1]

From a draft site, without attribution. But it's also consistent with a game-speed measurement by one of the tracking companies. So might not be an "official" time, but seems plausible. It's very fast for a LB, but not so good for a FS. Comparable to Chung.

Like Chung, with tremendous foot speed.

 

[Joey007]

A cover LB who can stick with TE or RB? Sign me up. I hate that sense of dread I feel when I see a jersey in the 50's rumbling outside to cover a back on a wheel route.

All that’s missing is a neck roll.