"In a corner of the locker room, Aaron Maybin sat on the stool at his locker, eyes vacant, as he seemed to ponder whether his career will ever amount to any good. He hasn't been the pass rusher the Buffalo Bills envisioned. He hasn't made contributions anywhere close to validating his first-round draft status. Feelings of satisfaction brought on by Sunday's 13-6 victory over the Cleveland Browns eluded Maybin's grasp. A few cubicles away, Arthur Moats was holding court for a second straight game. Last week, despite the lopsidedness of the defeat, a Moats' hit that knocked Minnesota ironman quarterback Brett Favre from the game afforded the rookie linebacker a dose of celebrity status. Against the Browns, Moats showed there was more where that came from, forcing a fumble off a sack and exhibiting sound positional instincts as the Bills' defense made Cleveland quarterback Jake Delhomme look like, well, Jake Delhomme. Late in his first NFL season Moats appears to be a find, a sixth-round steal, a player capable of providing what Maybin hasn't and mitigating the effects of that unproductive first-round pick. Teammates notice the zeal Moats brings to film study, his desire to find weaknesses or tendencies he can exploit. And Moats must win the mental game to have any shot at the physical game because, at 6-foot-2, 250 pounds, he faces size and strength disadvantages when he comes barreling off the edge as a pass rusher. "He didn't play much early in the season but lately he's been getting the opportunity and now we can see what he can do," said strong safety Donte Whitner. "Even coming out of college he was a defensive end, which means he naturally has pass-rush ability. He's athletic and he can run. He's on all the special teams. So if he continues to get better he's one of those guys who can give you 10, 12, 13, 14 sacks a la James Harrison." The scouting of college players is an inexact science often swayed by biases tied to caliber of competition. Maybin had one great college season, at Penn State, which fed notions he could transition quickly to the pros. Conversely, Moats slipped in the draft despite winning the Buck Buchanan Award as the top defensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision. Not only was he an undersized defensive end by NFL standards, he was playing for a partial-scholarship program (James Madison) against other partial-scholarship programs. Although Moats won the Buchanan by a record-setting margin, a general wariness persisted among those who would decide his football future. Moats' athleticism and pass-rushing instincts draw instant notice. The hit on Favre, the jolt that separated Delhomme from the ball, were testaments to his desire, notable moments that resulted from his relentless pursuit. Other plays highlight his overall grasp of the game. Moats forced Browns back Mike Bell to the inside on a late second-quarter run, enabling Paul Posluszny to make the tackle. "The backside guard is pulling and I know in my position my play is to get inside of the back," Moats said. "I hit the fullback and I saw the guard so I just figured make a big pile and my linebacker was able to clean up."" Read more: http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/columns/bob-dicesare/article282257.ece
