My New Favorite Non-Jet? Rey Maualuga

Sure, Ocho Cinco’s “Child, Please” and “Kiss the Baby” are ridiculously amusing, and he’s an athletic sight to behold when he’s making an effort. However, my attention has been continuously snatched by the former USC linebacker. Maualuga, quite simply, seems like a gift from the linebacking heavens. He is quick, powerful and coupled with those intangibles that seem to make the difference between the good ones and those deemed great – a certain football instinct and a profound love for knocking the snot out of people (not exclusive of himself).

For the brief moments I saw him in game action, he looked every bit the beast he is depicted on the practice field in the show’s first two episodes. Whether Maualuga becomes a Pro Bowl-caliber linebacker is yet to be seen, but, to my eyes, he certainly looks to have all the right kind of tools. Now, think about Rey and fellow Trojan Keith Rivers teaming up. Tremendous nastiness potential.

I’ll be curious to see how it all plays out, but from the surface it appears some teams may have misjudged letting Maualuga slip into the second round. The Bengals may be the team that reaps the rewards, because Rey still seems a little pissed about the 2nd round slight – which may not bode well for Cincy opponents.