Buffalo selects Maybin

Defensive end lone Nittany Lion taken on first day

Jeff Rice

Aaron Maybin’s decision to leave Penn State early has paid off.

Maybin

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The former defensive end was chosen by the Buffalo Bills with the 11th overall pick of the NFL Draft on Saturday evening. He was the only Nittany Lion selected on the first day of the draft, which resumes at 10 a.m. today.

No Penn State defensive player has been taken higher in the draft since defensive end Courtney Brown and linebacker LaVar Arrington — Maybin’s mentor and president of his management group — were taken with the first two picks of the 2000 draft.

“I’m very happy to be able to have a chance to play in such a great city and for such an amazing franchise,” Maybin said in a story posted on the Bills’ Web site. “It’s a great opportunity for me. And I’m going to get a chance to play with some Penn State guys that are already there in Bryan Scott and Paul Posluszny. I’m really anxious to get up there and start putting in work.”

Posluszny, a linebacker who was a senior when Maybin was a redshirt freshman in 2006, was drafted by the Bills in the second round in 2007 and quickly worked his way into the starting lineup. He led the team in tackles last season.

Scott, a second-round selection at cornerback in 2003 by Atlanta, was the Bills’ second-team strong safety last season.

The Bills, 7-9 last season, were 29th in the league in sacks over the past two years. The 6-foot-4, 250- pound Maybin, a pass-rushing specialist who is more than 20 pounds heavier than his playing weight this past season, will compete for playing time with defensive ends Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay in Buffalo’s 4-3 scheme.

Maybin, of Ellicott City, Md., was the second defensive end taken in draft, going eight picks after Tyson Jackson of LSU went third to Kansas City. He was the first Big Ten player selected in the draft and the 235th player to play for Joe Paterno who went on to be drafted.

A consensus All-American and Bednarik Award finalist, Maybin led the Big Ten and ranked seventh in the nation with 12 sacks in 2008. He began the season on the second team but moved into the starting lineup in the second week after Maurice Evans was suspended and stayed there for the remainder of the season.

Among the Nittany Lions who hope to be chosen in the final five rounds of the draft today are wide receivers Derrick Williams, Deon Butler and Jordan Norwood; offensive tackle Gerald Cadogan, center A.Q. Shipley, defensive ends Evans and Josh Gaines, cornerbacks Lydell Sargeant and Tony Davis, safety Anthony Scirrotto and linebacker Tyrell Sales.