Marte Mapu

Marte-Myles Mapu is an American professional football linebacker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. 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. He attended Hawthorne High School, where he played quarterback and wide receiver on the football team. Mapu is of American Samoan descent.

College career

Mapu redshirted his true freshman season for the Sacramento State Hornets. Mapu's redshirt junior season in 2020 was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a redshirt senior, he was named second team All-Big Sky Conference. 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.

Professional career

Mapu was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft. In Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Mapu recorded his first career interception against Patrick Mahomes.
On August 27, 2024, Mapu was placed on injured reserve to begin the season. On October 5, Mapu was activated from injured reserve.