New England Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon seems excited about the potential of the defense. One of the players he referenced in his recent session with the media was rookie linebacker Marte Mapu.
Mapu was named the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2022. He had 76 total tackles in 13 games. He also had two interceptions. New England selected him in the third round of the draft with the 76th overall pick.
His versatility has been on full display over the course of training camp. He has garnered strong reviews over the last couple of weeks as the Patriots have moved him around the field at both the linebacker and safety positions.
“It’s his speed and how big he is. He runs like a free safety, but he stands like a linebacker or an edge player,” Judon said, when describing Mapu to reporters. “That’s another guy that can play on all three levels.”
#Patriots LB Matthew Judon on rookie Marte Mapu:
“He runs like a free safety but stands like a linebacker.” pic.twitter.com/j4VNYJ8kIA
— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) June 13, 2023
It will be interesting to see how New England uses Mapu in the defense. Although he is a rookie, his upward trajectory over the course of offseason workouts is difficult to ignore.
