FOXBOROUGH — The Patriots have an unofficial motto for their players as they head into the postseason: Be like Malcolm.

A year ago, Malcolm Butler was a little-known and little-used rookie backup cornerback from Division 2 West Alabama. He had to try out at rookie minicamp just to make the 90-man roster, had to beat out half a dozen players at his position to win a roster spot for the regular season, then played in just 18 percent of the Patriots’ defensive snaps during the 2014 regular season while Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner got all the glory.

And then his fortunes changed as quickly as you can say, “Malcolm, go!’’ With the final seconds of Super Bowl XLIX ticking away and the Seahawks 1 yard from scoring a winning touchdown, Butler was sent onto the field in a personnel package the Patriots hadn’t used all season: goal-line defense with three cornerbacks.

Moments later, Butler made himself an instant hero, intercepting Russell Wilson and preserving the Patriots’ victory.

Butler’s story serves as the perfect reminder for all 53 players on the current roster that their big moment in the spotlight can happen at any time, and without notice.

“I think he’s not only inspirational for young players, but for veterans that have been doing it for a while,’’ said special teams ace Matthew Slater, an eight-year veteran. “He’s a prime example of hard work and trying to do the right things and bringing the right attitude to work every day. It’ll take you a long way.

“It’s important that all of us understand that. This is a critical part of the season. Everybody needs to be focused and ready because you never know when your number is going to be called, and you never know the situation in which your number will be called.’’

We know that the Patriots’ chances of repeating as Super Bowl champions will depend on the effectiveness of Tom Brady and the health of Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, and Devin McCourty, among others.

But any one of the 53 players can become an instant hero (or goat). Who can be this year’s Malcolm Butler? Let’s take a look at five players who might not have widespread name recognition, but have a chance to make an impact for the Patriots this postseason:

¦ Akiem Hicks, defensive tackle.

Hicks was a third-round draft pick by the Saints in 2012 and started 33 games over parts of four seasons, but never quite caught on in New Orleans, compiling just 6½ sacks and falling out of favor with the coaching staff. But Hicks has been effective in rotational duty for the Patriots since being acquired in a trade for tight end Michael Hoomanawanui in Week 4.

Hicks, who is 6 feet 5 inches and 324 pounds, has averaged 21 snaps in 12 games with the Patriots, rotating with Malcom Brown, Alan Branch, Dominique Easley, and Sealver Siliga at defensive tackle or “big’’ defensive end. But Hicks has been playing more since Easley went on injured reserve three weeks ago, playing 24 snaps against the Texans, a season-high 33 against the Titans, and 26 against the Jets.

And he has responded with some of his best football of the season, compiling two sacks against the Texans, another against the Titans, and recovering a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown against Tennessee.

Hicks may not fill up the stat sheet often, with just 16 tackles and three sacks this year, but a sack or forced fumble can change a game in an instant.

¦ Michael Williams, tight end.

The Lions tried to convert Williams (6-6, 290) into an offensive tackle, but the Patriots converted him back to an oversized tight end.

Williams hasn’t contributed much to the stat sheet since being acquired in a training-camp trade with Detroit for a seventh-round pick, and when Williams enters the game, everyone knows what it’s for: to block. Williams has played 425 snaps (40.1 percent of the Patriots’ offensive snaps), and he has been targeted on only six passes, catching three for 26 yards.

But Williams is still capable of catching the ball when called upon, and the Patriots have a small package of passing plays involving him. It feels as if the Patriots are waiting for just the right moment to unleash a play for Williams, much like they did with the eligible/ineligible formation and the Edelman option pass in last year’s playoffs.

¦ Leonard Johnson, cornerback.

Johnson has been a Patriot for only three games, signed four days before the Week 14 game at Houston to serve as the No. 3 cornerback behind Butler and Logan Ryan.

Undrafted out of Iowa State in 2012, Johnson started 17 games in three seasons with Tampa Bay, compiling five interceptions, five forced fumbles, and two touchdowns. But after being placed on IR with an ankle injury at the end of this year’s training camp, he fell out of favor with the Buccaneers’ coaching staff, and the team released him from IR in early December to allow him to catch on with another team this season.

The Patriots scooped him up less than a week later, and Johnson has been pressed into immediate action, playing 42 snaps against the Texans and 54 against the Jets thanks to a broken hand and a concussion suffered by rookie Justin Coleman.

Johnson won’t be confused for Deion Sanders any time soon, but as Butler proved last year, every pass thrown Johnson’s way has the potential to be a game-altering interception.

¦  Keshawn Martin, wide receiver.

Small but speedy at 5-10 and 190, Martin has played in only eight games while battling a hamstring injury, but still has set career highs with 23 catches, 265 yards, and two touchdowns, while also returning kickoffs and punts.

Martin, a four-year veteran, is likely to return to a backup role for the playoffs, when Edelman and Danny Amendola are expected to return from injury. But if either player suffers another injury, Martin has proven himself to be an effective fill-in after being acquired in a trade with Houston in September.

¦  Brandon King, safety/special teams.

Can’t forget about special teams, where a fumbled punt or a long kickoff return can swing momentum in an instant. And while everyone knows about Slater, the Patriots have another special teams maven in King, a rookie out of Auburn who is big and fast at 6-2, 220, and often practices with the linebackers.

King plays on four of the six special teams units — both punt and kickoff units – and is second on the team with 12 special teams tackles (Slater has 13), plus a forced fumble. King plays on the line of scrimmage on the punt block team, and is a gunner on the punt coverage team, putting him in position to make impact plays.

Ben Volin can be reached at ben.volin@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @BenVolin