DRAFT Marte Mapu - Round 3 - #76th Overall

[upstater1]

They could also franchise him. Not sure what the tag is for safeties but imagine its quite lower than most.

I feel like dugger will be retained. Uche im not so confident on, hes the type of guy that gets super overpaid. Onwenu is 50/50 to me

Dugger made so many great plays last year that lead to TDs by the defense, from pick 6s to causing fumbles, to scooping up the ball, etc., he was an unbelievable highlight reel.

It would be a crime not to sign him, especially given the depressed market for safeties.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I really dont get this obsession with numbers esp. when you dont combine it with playing field?
(not talking about you specifically but on general)

If you watched Groh's interview, speed and athleticism matters. It is not everything, but notice the difference in the Pats drafting the last 3 or 4 years. Lots of players with high RAS scores and speed. Lots of better players too. Really smart players with great tape, like Myles Bryant, struggle in the NFL.

 

[Sicilian]

Feels like this is a guy who could come in and contribute early on ST, and with some luck can push Mack Wilson off the roster and take his role. But most 3rd rounders (league wide) aren't ready for a big, steady role in year 1, that's not where you get those guys.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Feels like this is a guy who could come in and contribute early on ST, and with some luck can push Mack Wilson off the roster and take his role. But most 3rd rounders (league wide) aren't ready for a big, steady role in year 1, that's not where you get those guys.

He’d have to have an exceptional training camp where he blows everyone away and forces the issue.

 

[Sicilian]

He’d have to have an exceptional training camp where he blows everyone away and forces the issue.

I agree, which is the point I was trying to make (probably poorly). If they'd taken an OT, WR, or TE at that spot instead as some have wanted, that guy would ALSO have to blow everyone away and force the issue, because there are veterans at all of those spots, and 3rd rounders all have warts that make them questionable. Especially at WR... show me a 3rd round WR who has no major question marks, and I'll show you a guy who actually goes in the first round.

 

[Jim Beankie]

Anyone else disappointed that this might mean less Myles Bryant at safety? Where am I gonna get the warm and fuzzies?

 

[long distance]

If you watched Groh's interview, speed and athleticism matters. It is not everything, but notice the difference in the Pats drafting the last 3 or 4 years. Lots of players with high RAS scores and speed. Lots of better players too. Really smart players with great tape, like Myles Bryant, struggle in the NFL.

ok, but this is not what i was talking about.

if anything this can reassure you Mapu has the desired athleticism - and those who cared to spend a few min to watch him could see it with their own eyes..

of course playing speed is not only about athleticism, not even close and also not about “smart“. there's a sort of “smart“ that can also hinder playing speed etc. its always the whole package combined with what they're asked to do..

 

[borisman]

I don't care how athletic he is 217lbs is to small to play lb in the nfl, and i read hes a mike lb. I have visions of him trying to tackle josh allen, who runs right over him.

Unless he is standing still and upright or is off balance, this will never happen. He will lay out Josh Allen this season, kind of like Dugger did in the second game. Book it.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Anyone else disappointed that this might mean less Myles Bryant at safety? Where am I gonna get the warm and fuzzies?

It has a national holiday feel to it. Haven’t felt this since Elandon Roberts left.

 

[archstanton543]

Unless he is standing still and upright or is off balance, this will never happen. He will lay out Josh Allen this season, kind of like Dugger did in the second game. Book it.

Sure, if Allen plays Special Teams this season.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Tackle positions are weak

No doubt. But Trent Brown has played well at tackle in the past, as has Onwenu. The endless false starts and missed assignments of last season were surely, to a large extent, the result of poor preparation.

 

[JMC00]

I don't care how athletic he is 217lbs is to small to play lb in the nfl, and i read hes a mike lb. I have visions of him trying to tackle josh allen, who runs right over him.

 

[archstanton543]

And he was flagged for helmet-to-helmet. Good job.

 

[upstater1]

It has a national holiday feel to it. Haven’t felt this since Elandon Roberts left.

While I share your assessment of Roberts, I will never say a bad thing about him because he bullied the top 10 NFL history Rams offense in February of 2019. Just crushed people. He made Roger Saffold fold like a utlity chair.

 

[mgteich]

He's a Dugger clone that Jeremiah had at 73, his favorite player in the draft. And, of course, he will play lots of ST's.

 

[50-yard-line]

On what do you base this question? Have you watched his Senior Bowl tape f.e.?

I can't find any numbers - 40? I read one guy saying he's a "physical freak," and the next saying he doesn't have the speed for safety. So that's why I question it. I do like his tape, especially the violence of his tackling. Dude can hit.
The reaason I don't question Gonzales, for example, despite his Pac-10 (yuck) competition, is that he's really gifted athletically. I don't know about Mapu.

Pats were clearly looking for a more versatile, tougher player.

I really dont get this obsession with numbers esp. when you dont combine it with playing field?
(not talking about you specifically but on general)

I don't think it's an obsession with numbers, but IF a guy like Gonzo runs a sub-4 40, that tells you that he has the ability to make up for mistakes.
Also, headscratcher for me means that I'm just unsure, not that I disagree. I always know that I know so much less than the people picking. The Pats have a bunch of guys they really should pay and keep around who were headscratchers, to me.

 

[reflexblue]

Last night in reading a piece about mapu it said he was a lb, it mention middle lb. i used josh allen as an example of the type of player he'd be expected to tackle. At 217 lbs his career wouldn't last long, he couldn't take that kind of punishment for very long. All this being said i highly doubt that will be his position. I see him like dugger or philips, he may play lb sometimes depending on the offensive of the opposing team.

 

[goheels22002]

No doubt. But Trent Brown has played well at tackle in the past, as has Onwenu. The endless false starts and missed assignments of last season were surely, to a large extent, the result of poor preparation.

Matt Patricia had no business sitting in Dante Scarnecchia chair. The Patriots have a true OL coach and a room of veterans. I agree with everyone who wanted the best OL on the board at #14. But I am not pessimistic about the Patriots.

 

[Joey007]

The FA and coaching upgrades were made on offense.

Not to mention four 4th rounders today. Go get a couple OL that can sit behind Reiff for a year.

You all also do realize we spent a second on Thornton last year right? We have to have some sort of hope in him developing.

It’s like people want us to draft a WR, because they know Thornton won’t be good, because we can’t draft WR… so solve want to solve it by drafting another WR…

 

[TheRainMaker]

If he’s playing LB as the experts project, he will eventually replace Tavai not Dugger.