Aaron Maybin’s numbers game

By Andrew Conrad
Posted: April 16, 2009

Ellicott City resident Mike Maybin is a football fan, but he isn’t too concerned whether the Ravens get a wide receiver or the Redskins get an offensive tackle in the upcoming NFL draft.

Maybin’s more pressing concern is where his son, 2006 Mt. Hebron graduate Aaron Maybin, is drafted.

“All the top five teams are interested,” said the proud father, who added that he doesn’t care which team his son goes to “as long as it’s early.”

“We want to be in the top eight, but it’s all in God’s hands now. In the top 10, it’s all need-based. Someone in the top five needs a speed demon, and we think (Aaron) could be the guy.”

Maybin says that his son has been traveling the country in the weeks leading up to the draft, visiting with prospective employers.

“There’s been a crescendo this week, which is what we hoped for,” Mike Maybin said Tuesday evening.

‘Mock draft’ enthusiasts have Maybin — a 6-foot-4, 250-pound defensive end — going anywhere in the top five, top 10 or top 15. The three most likely destinations are Green Bay at No. 9 — new Green Bay coach Dom Capers is switching to a 3-4 defense and needs quick pass rushers; San Francisco at No. 10 — A steady weight gain to 253 pounds has impressed 49ers’ brass and they now think Maybin could start as a rookie; or Buffalo at No. 11 — If the Niners opt for Florida State DE Everette Brown, Maybin would the logical choice for the Bills since the next three teams (Denver, Washington and New Orleans) won’t be looking at defensive end as their No. 1 priority.

Doug DuVall, the longtime Wilde Lake football coach who retired after last season, is generally considered to be the foremost historian on Howard County football. He estimates that Howard County has had about 10 players make it to the NFL, but none were drafted anywhere near as high as Maybin is projected.

Maybin had an impressive career at Mt. Hebron, earning first-team all-county status as a senior after recording 10 sacks and 80 tackles. But he really blossomed at Penn State under defensive line coach Larry Johnson, according to DuVall.

Last fall, as a redshirt sophomore, Maybin led the Nittany Lions with 20 tackles for loss (totaling 94 yards), 12 sacks (fourth in the nation) and three forced fumbles for the Big Ten champions.

Since he announced he would make himself eligible for the draft, Maybin has been considered by most prognosticators to be the best defensive end and the best pure pass rusher in the draft class.

All that speculating and mock drafting will be unnecessary come April 25, when Maybin’s name is called to put on an NFL jersey.

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