Marte Mapu
{{Short description|American football player (born 1999)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Marte Mapu
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_team = New England Patriots
| number = 15
| position = Safety
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1999|11|8}}
| birth_place = Hawthorne, California, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lb = 230
| high_school = Hawthorne
| college = Sacramento State (2017–2022)
| draftyear = 2023
| draftround = 3
| draftpick = 76
| pastteams =
- New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|2023}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
- Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year (2022)
- First-team All-Big Sky (2022)
- Second-team All-Big Sky (2021)
| statweek =
| statseason = 2023
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 18
| statlabel2 = Sacks
| statvalue2 =
| statlabel3 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue3 = 1
| statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue4 =
| statlabel5 = Pass deflections
| statvalue5 = 1
| statlabel6 = Interceptions
| statvalue6 = 1
| statlabel7 = Touchdowns
| statvalue7 =
| pfr = MapuMa00
}}
Marte-Myles Mapu (born November 8, 1999) is an American professional football safety for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Sacramento State Hornets, where he was named the Big Sky Conference's Defensive Player of the Year in 2022.
Early life
Mapu was born on November 8, 1999, in Hawthorne, California.{{Cite web |last=Brugler |first=Dane |title=The Beast: 2023 NFL Draft Guide |url=https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2023/04/10111751/TheBeast_NFL_Draft_Guide-1.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410190932/https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2023/04/10111751/TheBeast_NFL_Draft_Guide-1.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 10, 2023 |url-access=subscription |access-date=April 10, 2022 |work=The Athletic |pages=284–285 |format=PDF}} He attended Hawthorne High School, where he played quarterback and wide receiver on the football team.{{cite web|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/raiders/news/las-vegas-raiders-2023-nfl-draft-prospects-linebacker-marte-mapu-sacramento-state-hornets|title=Raiders NFL Draft Prospect: LB Marte Mapu, Sac State|website=SI.com|access-date=April 16, 2023}} Mapu is of American Samoan descent.
College career
Mapu redshirted his true freshman season for the Sacramento State Hornets.{{cite web | last=Biderman | first=Chris | title=Sac State NFL draft prospect Marte Mapu should be ready for training camp after surgery | url=https://www.sacbee.com/sports/article273831330.html| work=Sacramento Bee | date=2023-03-31|access-date=2024-07-29}} Mapu's redshirt junior season in 2020 was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web | last=Heath | first=Jon | title=Broncos host LB/S Marte Mapu on pre-draft visit|url=https://broncoswire.usatoday.com/2023/04/13/denver-broncos-visit-with-linebacker-safety-marte-mapu-before-nfl-draft/ | website=Broncos Wire|publisher=USA Today | date=2023-04-13| access-date=2024-07-29}} As a redshirt senior, he was named second team All-Big Sky Conference.{{Cite web |last=Davidson |first=Joe |date=September 23, 2022 |title=‘He’s our silent assassin’: Sacramento State defense led by quiet playmaker Marte Mapu |url=https://www.sacbee.com/sports/college/article266103501.html |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=The Sacramento Bee}} Mapu used the extra year of eligibility granted to college athletes due to the COVID-19 pandemic and returned for a sixth season. He was named the Big Sky Conference's Defensive Player of the Year in 2022.{{Cite web |last=Davidson |first=Joe |date=February 2, 2023 |title=Marte Mapu on the loose: Sac State All-American stopper impresses in Senior Bowl practices |url=https://www.sacbee.com/sports/college/article272036412.html |access-date=2024-07-28 |work=The Sacramento Bee}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 2 5/8
| weight = 217
| note = Values from Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/videos/patriots-select-marte-mapu-with-no-76-pick-in-2023-draft |title=Patriots select Marte Mapu with No. 76 pick in 2023 draft |website=NFL.com |access-date=May 11, 2023}}
}}
Mapu was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round (76th overall) of the 2023 NFL draft.{{Cite web |last=Buchmasser |first=Bernd |date=2023-04-28 |title=Patriots draft Sacramento State LB/S Marte Mapu with the 76th overall pick |url=https://www.patspulpit.com/2023/4/28/23703567/nfl-draft-results-2023-patriots-marte-mapu-sacramento-state-third-round |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=Pats Pulpit |publisher=SB Nation}}{{Cite web |last=McBride |first=Jim |date=April 28, 2023 |title=NFL Draft 2023: Patriots take Marte Mapu, Sacramento State DL/S, in third round |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/04/28/sports/safetylinebacker-marte-mapu-patriots-third-round-pick-was-late-bloomer-sacramento-state/ |access-date=April 30, 2023 |work=The Boston Globe}} In Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Mapu recorded his first career interception against Patrick Mahomes.{{cite web | last=Kyed | first=Doug | title=Patriots rookie Marte Mapu not satisfied after first career interception | work=Boston Herald | date=2023-12-17 | url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/12/17/patriots-rookie-marte-mapu-not-satisfied-after-first-career-interception/ | access-date=2024-07-29}}
On August 27, 2024, Mapu was placed on injured reserve to begin the season.{{cite web|title=Patriots Make Roster Moves to Reach the 53-Man Roster Limit|url=https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-release-16-players-place-three-players-on-injured-reserve|website=Patriots.com|date=August 27, 2024}} On October 5, Mapu was activated from injured reserve.{{Cite web |date=October 5, 2024 |title=Patriots Make a Series of Roster Moves |url=https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-make-a-series-of-roster-moves-x6465 |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=Patriots.com |language=en-US}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{footballstats|yahoo=40105}}
- [https://www.patriots.com/team/players-roster/marte-mapu/ New England Patriots bio]
- [https://hornetsports.com/sports/football/roster/marte-mapu/7416 Sacramento State Hornets bio]
{{New England Patriots roster navbox}}
{{Patriots2023DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mapu, Marte}}
Category:Sacramento State Hornets football players
Category:Players of American football from Hawthorne, California
Category:American football safeties
Category:American football linebackers
Category:New England Patriots players
Category:Hawthorne High School (California) alumni
Category:Pacific Islander American players of American football