SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Sony Michel scoring the lone touchdown in Super Bowl LIII.

Malcolm Mitchell picking up four fourth-quarter first downs during the 28-3 comeback in Super Bowl LI.

And, of course, Malcolm Butler picking off Russell Wilson at the goal line to win Super Bowl XLIX.

The games that capped the Patriots’ last three championship seasons — 2014, 2016 and 2018 — all featured pivotal contributions from rookies.

Who might join that list this Sunday when New England and Seattle square off in Super Bowl LX? There’s no shortage of candidates on this Patriots squad, which is one of the youngest in recent Super Bowl history.

First-year players accounted for 18.2% of New England’s total snaps played this season, according to ESPN, the highest mark by any Super Bowl participant since at least 2007. The Patriots’ 53-man roster features 13 rookies, nine of whom saw action in the AFC Championship Game against Denver. Three are starters, not counting kicker Andy Borregales and long snapper Julian Ashby.

“A lot of playmakers, man,” veteran cornerback Carlton Davis said. “Guys who come in and contribute. I think that’s how you can rate a rookie class, by how many of them are contributing to the team’s success. There’s a lot of them. … So many of them.”

Which of those youngsters is most likely to swing Sunday’s game at Levi’s Stadium? For much of the season, running back TreVeyon Henderson would have topped that list.

The second-round draft pick was a big-play machine from October through December, rushing for 911 yards and nine touchdowns during the regular season while averaging 5.1 yards per carry. But Henderson hasn’t been the same impact player in his first NFL postseason (2.4 yards per rush on 24 attempts with no touchdowns), and he hardly played against the Broncos.

His AFC Championship stat line: four snaps, three carries, five yards.

Ditto for wide receiver Kyle Williams. The third-rounder hauled in three long touchdown passes during the second half of the regular season but has caught just one ball in the playoffs — a 7-yard pickup in the wild-card round against the Los Angeles Chargers. (Undrafted slot receiver Efton Chism III was inactive against Denver, pushed out of the gameday lineup by Mack Hollins’ return from injured reserve.)

Still, Henderson and Williams both have proven they can score from anywhere on the field if given the chance. The pair combined for touchdowns of 33, 37, 52, 55, 65, 69 and 72 yards this season.

Up front, it will be a win for the Patriots if left tackle Will Campbell and left guard Jared Wilson — the first rookie O-line duo to start a Super Bowl — spend most of Sunday night outside of the spotlight. These playoffs have been an adventure for Campbell, in particular, who’s had issues protecting Drake Maye from a parade of talented edge rushers. The Seahawks’ defense, while not quite as sack-happy as the Texans’ and Broncos’, is arguably the NFL’s best.

“I think they’re talented,” head coach Mike Vrabel said of Campbell and Wilson, who both were Week 1 starters. “I think they’ve worked. I think they’ve tried to get better each and every week. There are some matchups in this league that are tough. They’ve had some really good plays; they’ve had some plays that they’d like to have back. But they’re out there for the most part all the time practicing, improving, working together.”

Defensively, undrafted edge rusher Elijah Ponder has three fumble recoveries in his last eight games, including one against the Broncos that should have resulted in a Patriots touchdown (officials initially ruled it a forward pass and blew the play dead while Ponder was sprinting toward the end zone).

Third-round safety Craig Woodson, who leads all Patriots rookies in total snaps played, also has been a difference-maker this postseason. He recorded an interception, a fumble recovery and three passes defended in the divisional round against Houston, then broke up another pass in the AFC title game.

The Patriots’ offense has scored just five touchdowns through three playoff games,

“We have a lot of support from the staff and our teammates,” Woodson said. “Everybody’s just coming in together and trying to just make plays, bro. We’re out there, we’re confident. We have a good (rookie) class, and I’m sure we’re going continue to make plays as the years go on.”

And then there’s Borregales, who already has one game-winning field goal on his short NFL resume (Week 5 at Buffalo). Outside of his two missed kicks in the Denver show, the sixth-round pick out of Miami has been a reliable leg for Vrabel’s club, making 84.4% of his field goals and 96.4% of his extra points during the regular season.

Borregales also converted all three of his field-goal tries in his playoff debut against the Chargers —- outscoring New England’s offense by himself in a 16-3 victory — and is 6-for-6 on PATs so far this postseason.

“We’re here to give them confidence and trust in what they’re supposed to be doing, making a connection and trying to develop them,” Vrabel said. “And then the player’s job is to go out there and find a role and continue to improve and help us win. We’ve had a lot of guys like that this season.”