Maualuga Bust Article

[DraftBoy]

http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW...whi040109a.htm

Entering the season, scouts were enthralled with this year’s MLB class, featuring Ohio State’s James Laurinaitis, USC’s Rey Maualuga and LSU’s Darry Beckwith, all of whom received high marks from evaluators.

However, as the season progressed, concerns were brought to the forefront. Maualuga began missing too many tackles, Laurinaitis stayed blocked too long and Beckwith could not find the football.

With a chance to redeem themselves at the NFL Scouting Combine, none of them stood out, as Maualuga pulled out of the workout with a hamstring injury suffered running his first 40-yard dash. On Wednesday, Maualuga has another chance to prove himself at USC's highly anticipated pro-day workout, but the way we hear it, nothing Maualuga does will erase the concerns teams have about him on tape and off the field.

“Chart how many times he is on the ground,” one longtime evaluator said, “and you will see why I think he will always struggle in the pros. He had so much talent around him — that defense may be as talented as I’ve ever seen in college. It covers up a lot of mistakes.”

This is not the kind of PR he needs to get his stock back in the right direction.

[methos4ever]

Part of that also is a little chicanery by some of those teams that want him to fall to the late first/second round to them. But on the other hand, a lot of folks were saying he was a 2-down backer to begin with.

[psubills62]

I never saw much of Beckwith, but neither Laurinaitis or Maualuga ever impressed me. Laurinaitis was nowhere near a game-changer in any of the times I saw him. And honestly, even though I did see a few USC games, Maualuga never stood out to me.

I personally hope we don't draft either of them, especially at 11.

[casdhf]

Are any of these guys going to be around in the 2nd round?

[S.C.A.M.]

http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW...whi040109a.htm



This is not the kind of PR he needs to get his stock back in the right direction.

Hmmm, I still like him, but that is tough to read.

[The Spaz]

They showed Rey and the other USC guys last night on NFLN. All I can say about Rey is the dudes legs are like toothpicks.

[Mski]

as a fan of SoCal im biased, but i think he will be a good MLB in the pro's and a playmaker

[DraftBoy]

Are any of these guys going to be around in the 2nd round?

Beckwith is more of a 3rd-4th Round guy right now but Lauranitis has a real shot to fall into our pick in Round 2.

[Ingtar33]

im not seeing anything that's surprises me here... Maualuga never looked like the LB Poz did in college.

He's not a great tackler... he's a great hitter. that's two different things... because in the NFL, like against real D-1 competition he'll just bounce off most people. he doesn't wrap up well, he takes poor angles, and he doesn't cover his gaps well.

He was a 1st rounder on athleticism alone, and if those scout reports are right, he didn't impress with his workouts, which shoots that too.

That doesn't mean he won't be a good pro. it just means he's not worth round 1 pick 11... and probably not worth round 2, pick 11. (though round 2 pick 20 might be a fair place to grab him)