PFF names the ideal day 3 fit for the Colts
With the 2023 NFL Draft almost here, PFF names which day-3 player would be an ideal fit for the Indianapolis Colts and the rest of the teams in the league.
On Thursday, the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft will take place. This is the round that will get the most coverage and also when the biggest names will be taken. However, it’s not the only round where quality players will be selected. Elite NFL players are selected all throughout the draft and the Indianapolis Colts are proof of that.
From guys like Grover Stewart to Zaire Franklin to Isaiah Rodgers Sr., the Colts have found several players in the late rounds of the draft that have gone on to be impact players for Indianapolis. With the 2023 Draft under a week away, PFF is already circling the next day-three player that could be a great fit for Indianapolis.
In a recent piece, Michael Renner named a day 3 fit for all 32 teams. Day 3 of the draft consists of rounds four to seven. The player that Renner viewed as a fit for Indianapolis is Sacramento State linebacker Marte Mapu. Renner explained that “the Colts struck gold when they took an undersized FCS linebacker in Shaquille Leonard and may get another chance to do the same with Mapu,” highlighting Mapu’s strength as a physical run defender.
Linebacker Marte Mapu viewed as a fit for the Colts
Marte Mapu is a 6-foot-3, 216-pound linebacker that played four seasons at Sacramento State. In his four seasons, Mapu played in 41 games and recorded 165 tackles, seven interceptions, and 22 pass deflections. As Renner pointed out, Mapu is good against the run and knows how to fly down hill to deliver a hit.
He makes sense as a late-round pick for the Colts for a couple of reasons. For starters, after losing Bobby Okereke in free agency, it won’t hurt to add some more depth at linebacker. Additionally, with Shaquille Leonard still working his way back from his surgeries, that depth will be especially important. So Marte Mapu can come in and address an immediate need for Indy.
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