Recent Patriots Draft Pick Compared To Three-Time Super Bowl Champ

Roman Phifer was a foundational piece to the first half of the New England Patriots dynasty.

And the Patriots believe they have a player on their current roster who resembles the three-time Super Bowl champion.

Marte Mapu made his season debut last week after starting the campaign on injured reserve and stood out immediately for his versatility to line up at safety and move down into the box as a linebacker. Mapu, who relayed the defensive coverages to the rest of the defense against the Miami Dolphins, still has a ways to go to make the same impact Phifer did, but safties coach Brian Belichick believes the second-year defender is on the right track.

“Like a Roman Phifer-type back in the day,”…