Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The third-round draft pick has had a relatively quiet first NFL season so far. The New England Patriots, somewhat surprisingly, went defense with their first three picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. But while while the first two have made positive contributions right from the get-go, the third has been relatively quiet so far. Unlike first-round cornerback Christian Gonzalez and second-round defensive lineman Keion White, third-round safety/linebacker-hybrid Marte Mapu has seen most of his opportunities on special teams through the first 12 games of his career. The Sacramento State product has been on the field for 48 percent of New England’s kicking game snaps this year compared to only 19 on the defensive side of the ball. What is the reason behind that discrepancy, and Mapu’s comparatively low number of snaps on defense? It all starts and ends with the Patriots’ depth chart at his primary spot, safety, according to head coach Bill Belichick. “We have pretty good depth at that position,” Belichick told reporters on Monday. “Obviously, [Jabrill] Peppers and [Kyle] Dugger are two of our best players and two of the better players in the league at that position. So, not really looking to get them off the field and just get playing time for somebody. “We use players around guys like Dugger and Peppers situationally, because you think they can help you in that situation in a certain package. So, that’s really what players need to do in situations like that, is develop an opportunity and then be ready to perform well when those opportunities come to create more opportunities. And, Te’s done that.” While Mapu brought extensive versatility to the Patriots upon his arrival as the 76th overall selection in this year’s draft, the team has seen him primarily as a safety thus far. The problem for him is that starters Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers are hoarding snaps at the safety position. Dugger and Peppers are ranked first and second on the team in defensive playing time, being on the field for 97.1 and 95.3 percent of snaps. And with the team also having veteran Jalen Mills in the mix (31.1%), Mapu’s opportunities have been few and far in between. And even when he did get a chance — which happened 155 times over the first 12 games — he has not always delivered the goods. Mapu has not had many impact plays up until this point, while oftentimes being responsible for breakdowns at the second and third levels. The team is putting a lot on his plate, but so far the return has been minimal. That said, Belichick is still optimistic about Mapu’s outlook. “He’s a hard-working kid,” he said about the 24-year-old. “He really pays attention, very studious and attentive. He’s improved a lot through the course of the year. I think he’s a good player, will be a good player. But, he’s still young and inexperienced, and right now, I’d say the guys ahead of him are just ahead of him.” Lining up primarily as a box safety with deep and slot snaps sprinkled in as well, Mapu has registered 12 tackles so far this season plus an additional two in the kicking game. His contributions in the game’s third phase in general have been more notable; he has seen action on all four coverage and return squads in his 150 snaps. That said, the Patriots did not draft him for his special teams outlook but rather his potential as a hyper-athletic and position-flexible defender. Early on in his pro career, he has not had many opportunities to showcase that skillset. Given the high level of play displayed by those ahead of him on the depth chart, however, the team is probably not too concerned about that. Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/2023/12/5/23 ... -belichick
