Lions fare well in NFL Draft
The questions surrounding Aaron Maybin's decision to leave Penn State after his redshirt sophomore year have pretty effectively been answered.
Selected by the Buffalo Bills as the No. 11-overall selection in the NFL Draft on Saturday afternoon, the Nittany Lions' former defensive end became the seventh Penn State first-round selection in the past six years.
Advertisement
A 2008 consensus first-team All-American, Maybin had a stellar sophomore season for the Lions, recording 12 sacks on the season and making 12 TFL, good enough for seventh and ninth in the nation, respectively.
This came in a season in which Maybin was not even listed on the Penn State three-deep depth chart to start the season as a result of some academic urging at the behest of Nittany Lions' head coach Joe Paterno.
In total, Maybin made 49 tackles, had three pass break-ups, forced a team-high three fumbles, and was named the 2008 National Defensive Player of the Year by the Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C., for his efforts.
The selection of Maybin on Saturday was Penn State's only on the first day of the NFL Draft, but so far on Sunday, the Nittany Lions are starting to fare well.
With the 18th pick in the third round (No. 82-overall), the Detroit Lions selected Penn State wide receiver Derrick Williams.
Williams, an All-Big Ten performer in 2008, compiled 44 receptions for 485 yards and four TDs in his senior season and finished his career with 161 catches.
Soon after Williams was selected, Penn State wideout Deon Butler also was chosen as the No. 91-overall selection by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round.
Butler became the Nittany Lions' all-time career receptions leader this season after starting his career as a walk-on defensive back five years earlier.