Marte Mapu could have a hand in replacing McCourty

FOXBORO -- Bill Belichick has made it very clear. There isn't one player who's going to fill the shoes of Devin McCourty. But in the latest Patriots practice open to reporters, there was an intriguing young player seeing time at McCourty's old position.

Third-round pick Marte Mapu out of Sacramento State could be seen during various periods of Tuesday's practice playing free safety in the deep middle portion of the field. The 6-foot-3, 216-pounder is listed as a linebacker on the team website and plays like a thumper who'd be at home in the middle of the field. He opened eyes at this year's Senior Bowl -- a late addition to the nation's premier All-Star game after shining at the NFLPA Bowl -- thanks to his aggressiveness.

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"It was unusual," Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy said on Next Pats when discussing the pop Mapu exhibited during two days of work in Mobile, Ala.

"The force he hits with and the impact and the noise it makes when Marte hits people, wait 'til training camp, man. You’re going to be hearing it a bunch. I always say some of the best players are the ones you can scout with your ears and not just your eyes. You can scout Marte with your ears."

Though Belichick has said in the past that McCourty is one of the best tacklers he's ever coached, his play in the deep portion of the field was characterized by instincts, intelligence and speed. Mapu would be a decidedly different player to roam Gillette Stadium as a deep safety.

Nagy compared Mapu to former Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith, who was an undersized 'backer with outstanding striking ability. For Nagy, a former Patriots scout, Mapu projects as more of a linebacker than a safety like his athletic-and-big-hitting teammate Kyle Dugger.

"Dugg is a better change of direction athlete," Nagy said. "He’s a little more fluid of an athlete. To me… You can play [Dugger] in some sub-down linebacker stuff because of the size. But, to me, he’s really a versatile safety piece.

"Whereas Mapu is more like a strong safety-to-Will linebacker (hybrid). I really think you’re going to want this guy playing in the box because he plays bigger than his size (at) 220, 219. He hits like a ton of bricks. This guy’s snap on contact is just, like, different…

"I mean this guy plays downhill and just buckles people. It’s hard to find. He’s a really unique player… Kind of undersized, in-the-box linebacker but he’s got length. He’s 220, but he’s got 33.5-inch arms. Really long. Just a really cool piece. A really unique player. It doesn’t surprise me that Coach Belichick would take an interest in him."

When asked if Mapu could play free safety, one NFC defensive assistant who scouted Mapu thoroughly had his doubts.

"Maybe," the assistant said. "It just depends on how they want to use him. He would be more of a box safety or a spy on athletic quarterbacks on third down. He played linebacker, nickel and safety (in college). But I don't think he has the range to be a deep safety in the NFL."

The assistant added, however, that Mapu is "really smart" and possesses "big upside."

At the moment, Mapu has been wearing a red non-contact jersey to Patriots practices as he recovers from a pectoral injury he suffered at the Senior Bowl.

Once he's fully healthy, and once the pads come on at training camp, it'll be fascinating to see where the Patriots want him to settle in their defense. He played linebacker during an OTA practice earlier this month that was open to reporters. He's getting a lot thrown his way, as all rookies are, but if he sticks at free safety he may be asked to be one of the secondary's top communicators, as McCourty was.

"All the rookies, they've all been good," Belichick said Tuesday. "They’ve got a lot to learn and they're trying. Drinking through a fire hose, but that's what it is for rookies coming into the NFL. They’ve all put in extra time. They're trying. They’re overwhelmed, but they're still afloat, still swimming, treading water. Eventually it will sort itself out."