Interview: 2018 DT Aaron Maldonado Showcased Defensive MVP of the Year Abilities at Under Armour Camp

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

In-Article Photo Credit: Raymond Joyce

Twitter: @RaymondJoycePho

One of the hot pockets of college football recruiting talent in all of California is in the Mission League. The seven-league team comprised of Alemany, Bishop Amat, Chaminade, Crespi, Loyola, Notre Dame, and Serra are seemingly never short on filling Division-I rosters on National Signing Day. One Mission League talent who stood out as the best of the best in 2016 was defensive tackle/nose guard Aaron Maldonado.

Fans of Bishop Amat High School saw this one coming all the way back in 2014 when Maldonado was a freshman working as a two-way starter for the Lancers in the trenches. The belief in Maldonado only grew during his sophomore season when he came up with 28 tackles with four tackles for a loss and two sacks as a 6-3, 295 pound, line-mover. Playing at around 6-3, 304 during his junior season, Maldonado grew into a one-man wrecking crew dominating the opposition for 60 tackles with nine sacks. At the end of his junior campaign Maldonado had earned first team All-CIF, All-Area, and Mission League Defensive Player of the Year honors.

In addition to Mission League talent, Amat squared off against teams from another southern California powerhouse conference in 2016, the Trinity League. Maldonado not only held his own against teams in his conference but worked over other top players from Mater Dei, Servite, and JSerra Catholic last season. Only fitting that one of the top defensive linemen in the 2018 class be selected for an invite-only opportunity at the Under Armour All-American Camp in Orange County.

The Under Armour All-American Camp held at Mission Viejo was much of the same for Maldonado seeing some of the same opposition with everyone in attendance working to show how hard they have improved in the off-season and just how hungry they are to make an impression.

Before Maldonado even began the day’s event filled with drills and one-on-one matchups, he was passing the eyeball test in another way having slimmed down while bulking up coming in at 6-3, 280. The want to, physical strength to do, and experience to know how to is now coming together with another much need trait on the gridiron – speed and quickness.

In a one-on-one interview with Maldonado, we covered his camp performance, off-season goals, and recruitment to date gaining insight on one of California’s best.

Interview

Aaron, what are you working on this off-season?

“I’m working on my speed and technique, and explosiveness as well.”

Have you maxed out in the weight room this off-season?

“No. we will max out before spring break.”

What is your best guess estimate on your weight room totals?

“My bench is 325 bench, 485 on squat, and 285 on power clean.”

You had a monster season in 2016, how did your game get better over the course of the schedule?

“The experience. My sophomore year I did not have much experience. This year I had a big goal in mind. We had a lot of doubters so I knew I had to lead me team. My technique was better, my hands got better, I had great extension on my arms, my release off the ball was faster, and I got off blocks a lot better.”

How did the Under Armour Camp go for you?

“It was a real good camp. I liked the competition. There were a bunch of people there I went up against during the season. It was cool to go up against them again.”

How well did you do during the one on ones?

“I did a good job. I think I did real well. I was not trying to bull rush every time but I was trying to work the technique using my hands and my hips.”

What was the toughest part of the camp for you?

“The competition. I’ve gone up against a lot of those guys, they keep getting better. That makes me up my game.”

How did you workout to get ready for the camp?

“Right after the season I had a rest season, now I’m back in the gym getting ready for camps and the 2017 season. I knew what I wanted to do at the camp and how I wanted to execute it.”

What did you learn that will help you during your senior season?

“The things they were teaching, I knew it. A lot of it for me was focusing on technique.”

Are you signed up for any upcoming camps?

“I am signed up for the Nike Opening, I’m looking forward to that. I’m also signed up for the Rivals three stripe, and a USA Football Camp.”

What is the USA Football Camp?

“It is an international competition. You go overseas to play against other teams from other countries.”

Are you signed up or thinking about attending any college camps?

“I will attend a USC and UCLA camp and whatever other camps that come down here.”

Which schools are showing recruiting interest in you right now?

“UCLA, Louisville, and Northwestern.”

Which schools have offered you?

“BYU.”

*Hawaii offered on Wednesday, Feb. 22

Do you have any planned visits?

“I’m visiting UCLA sometime in April.”

What is your cumulative GPA?

“3.5.”

Have you taken the ACT or SAT yet?

“I am taking SAT classes right now. My last class is March 12. Once those are finished I will take the SAT as soon as possible.”

Aaron, congratulations on a successful showing at the Under Armour camp and good luck with all the other upcoming camps.

“Thank you.”

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Photo credit: Billy Tucker/Under Armour All-American camp; No. 80 Aaron Maldonado.