The New England Patriots left the 2024 NFL Draft using seven of their eight selections on the offensive side of the football. Part of the reason why, as head coach Jerod Mayo explained, was the confidence in their second- and third-year defensive players taking a leap forward.
That group includes Marte Mapu, who New England selected in the third-round of last year’s draft. But after playing just under 18 percent of the team’s defensive snaps his rookie year, Mapu is now ready to take that leap.
“I feel like there was a lot of improvement to be made.