(BG) -- Of all the players selected in last weekend's NFL draft, perhaps no one has a bigger chip on his shoulder than Rey Maualuga. How could

Maualuga, one of the draft's most explosive hitters, slip out of the first round before being plucked by the Cincinnati Bengals 38th overall?

"There are two things with Maualuga," explained NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock. "If you take him in the first round, you have to be convinced he's a three-down linebacker, and there are some teams that weren't convinced he'd play on third down (i.e. the passing down).

"The second thing is that he had some issues early on, off the field, and that was an issue that some teams didn't want to deal with.”

"So he slid a little bit. I don't think it's really as pronounced as others have said, as I thought he might be in the mid to late 20s. But he's a good football player. I know the Bengals are excited to have him."

Mayock believes the Bengals' 4-3 scheme is a good fit for Maualuga, who projects to play middle linebacker in a system similar to what he played at Southern Cal.

But Maualuga couldn't hide his disappointment on draft day, and he later apologized to reporters for not expressing more excitement about joining the Bengals, calling his actions immature.

Bengals season ticket-holders seem to be a forgiving group, though. Taking part in a teleconference Thursday with six of the team's draft picks, they were particularly enamored with Maualuga, whom they deemed one of the steals of the draft.

According to Jeff Berding, now in his 15th year as the team's director of sales and public affairs, there were 3,904 fans on the call, and 93 were cleared to ask questions.

"There were probably six questions for each of the draft picks, but for Rey, there were over 40," Berding said. "People were pretty passionate about it, and I think it's because he has a real identity with the way he played football at USC. There is certainly a heightened enthusiasm with having him here."

When Maualuga was asked by a season ticket-holder how he feels about being the steal of the draft, his response was one of a player who enters the NFL with some added motivation.

"I'm going to come here with a chip on my shoulder and play football," he said. "I'm going to make sure the coach knows he did not make a mistake in blessing me." (Boston Globe)