'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABaAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgQAAIDAQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAEDAgURAAQTEgEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABREBAAMBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDEQAhMf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8AkpLOCqap8C0ARakH6yEJsAdEuzZQw4TnZZs3XKLH2KXcez8L9DIx357gkQNyIHOcbIJXo+hXHB+cnOMWnWJrbPXO/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#5. Marte Mapu, Sacramento State (Linebacker)
After showing out at NFLPA Bowl week, Mapu got the call up from Jim Nagy and my god, he made most of that opportunity. He was impressive from the first moment he stepped onto the field.
Trending
You saw him rapidly fill on the front-side of run plays and even from the backside, you saw the short-area burst to shoot through a crease and run things down. Nobody was able to get in front of him in time.
Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!
Mapu had a couple of big-time run stuffs during the inside run portion of day two, once blowing through the shoulder of the guard on a zone run and meeting the back for a TFL. Another time on an iso-run, he absolutely blasted the fullback before that guy could even reach the line of scrimmage, allowing the rest of the defense to converge on the ball.
On top of that, Mapu also made a couple of impressive plays in coverage as part of team-drills. Once on play-action, where he didn’t fall for it and drifted underneath a dig route, getting a hand on the ball (intended to be lofted over his head) to break it up.
He later raked the ball out of the tight-end’s hands on a stick route. That’s along with running down Houston's standout WR striding out after a solid play. He was still fired up and punched the ball out, with nobody else in the screen (not that it actually counted, but it showed his level of effort).
He had a couple of nice wins on pass-pro drills, once side-stepping Oklahoma RB Eric Gray, combined with the arm-over, to get around him cleanly. Mapu was clocked over 19 MPH multiple times during the week and his speed will be a major buy-in for NFL teams, considering his tremendous special teams background.
Unfortunately he wasn’t able to perform in the game on Saturday, but I promise you, basically all scouts will have added his name to their watch list. There will probably be a few more now heading to the Sac State pro day, since he didn’t receive a combine invite.
