REY MAUALUGA

ARPER

USC

#58

PROJECTION:  Top 20 Overall     COMPARISON:  Lofa Tatupu

CLASS SENIOR

HEIGHT 6-2

WEIGHT 260 lbs.

HOMETOWN Eureka, CA

HIGH SCHOOL Eureka

BIRTHDAY 1/1/1987

SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS: Explosive athleticism...Very good size & strength...Physical & aggressive...Makes the huge hit

WEAKNESSES: Questions about overall agility...Suspect instincts & read-react ability...Often overaggressive

OVERALL: A three year starter, Rey Maualuga was considered the top linebacker out of high school by many publications and lived up to the hype during his college career. He is of Samoan descent and is often compared to former USC defensive players currently in the NFL like Lofa Tatupu and Troy Polamalu. Maualuga plays with reckless abandonment for his body, making huge hits and throwing his body around. He is a good athlete with nice explosion and burst off the snap. Maualuga is very physical and doesn’t shy from contact, but can sometimes be too aggressive. He understands how to cover, but has stiff hips and can be a liability if asked to drop back in coverage. Maualuga is quick to locate the ball carrier and shoots to the play, but needs to show better technique in his angles. He is an excellent blitzer and is a man on a mission, doing a good job sifting through the garbage en route to the backfield. Maualuga has good size, but needs to make sure he stays conditioned and doesn’t get overweight. He shows quick reaction as plays develop, but there are questions about his natural instincts. Maualuga will hold his own at the POA and is rarely pushed backwards. He is a great wrap tackler and rarely ever misses a tackle. Maualuga won the 2008 Chuck Bednarik Award this past season given to the best defensive player in the nation. He was also an All-American the past two seasons and is the top middle LB prospect in this draft.

BOTTOM LINE: A physical presence known for hitting like a truck, Maualuga has suspect instincts and is only average in coverage, but he is a natural athlete, reliable tackler, and a definite first rounder.

2008 STATISTICS