Draft Scout Snapshot: DS Rating on 8/24/08: #2 ILB, #6/750 Overall, Projected Rnd: 1
2008: Recipient of the Bednarik Award, given to the nation's top defensive player...Finalist for the Lombardi Award, Bronko Nagurski Award and the Butkus Award...Team Most Valuable Player and named the Pac-10's Defensive Player of the Year...Started 12 games at middle linebacker, missing the Oregon contest due to a knee sprain suffered vs. Oregon State...Still managed to lead the team and match his career-high with 79 tackles (51 solos) that included 2.5 stops for losses of 11 yards...Intercepted two passes for 48 yards in returns with a touchdown...Credited with one quarterback pressure and deflected four passes... On 62 running plays in his area, the opposition gained 311 yards (5.02 ypc) with five touchdowns and 16 first downs, as Maualuga made four third-down stops and prevented ball carriers from gaining yardage on four of those attempts...The opposition completed 18 of 24 passes in front of the linebacker, producing 13 first downs and 234 yards (13.0 yards per completion/9.75 yards per attempt)...Part of a unit that allowed just 87.38 yards per game on the ground (fifth in the NCAA), ranking second in the country in total defense (221.77 ypg) while leading the major colleges in scoring defense (9.0 ppg)...2007: 13 GP; 12 GS; 41 Sol-79 TT, 10.5 TFL, 6 SK, 1 INT, 3 PBU, 1 FR, 1 FF; Maualuga returned for his second season as USC's starting middle linebacker as a junior in 2007 and led the team in tackles. Overall in 2007 while appearing in all 13 games (starting all but the Notre Dame game, in which he was limited because of a hip pointer), he had 79 tackles, including 10.5 for losses of 40 yards (with 6 sacks for minus 32 yards), plus 1 fumble recovery, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception (returned for 19 yards) and 3 deflections. 2006: 13 GP; 10 GS; 45 Sol-78 TT, 5 TFL, 2 SK, 1 INT, 3 PBU, 1 QBH, 1 FF; Maualuga started most of 2006 at middle linebacker as a sophomore and proved to be an impact player. Overall in 2006 while appearing in all 13 games (he started all but Arkansas, Oregon State and Notre Dame), he had a 78 tackles, including 5 for losses of 17 yards (with 2 sacks for minus 8 yards), an interception, 3 deflections and a forced fumble. 2005: 12 GP; 0 GS; 26 Sol-37 TT, 4.5 TFL, 1 SK, 1 INT, 2 PBU, 2 FF; Arrested in November 2005 for allegedly punching a man at an off-campus party.
Post-Draft Outlook: A closer look at the Bengals' picks: Round 2/38 -- Rey Maualuga, LB, 6-2, 249, Southern Cal...Most draft boards had him going in the first round, but the Bengals were glad he dropped to them. A middle linebacker who can quickly get to the outside, Maualuga is versatile enough to play any of the three linebacker spots. He didn't have any sacks last year but eight as a junior. - by The Sports Xchange
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