Buffalo Bills defensive end Aaron Maybin has taken advantage of some good company in preparing himself to be a No. 1 draft choice in the NFL.

Maybin knows All-Pro Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis and San Diego star pass rusher Shawne

Merriman. He works out with fellow Nittany Lion and current Bills linebacker Paul Posluszny.

And Maybin brought former Washington Pro Bowl linebacker LaVar Arrington with him to Buffalo

on Sunday to join in the celebration as he was introduced as the Bills' top choice — the

11th overall pick in the draft.

"LaVar Arrington has been very influential," Maybin said. "He has helped me so much in

bringing along my game. I consider him part of my family, like a brother.

"He actually trained with me for about a two-week period in Pennsylvania. It was like

having another strength coach. We went one-on-one. We also went through linebacker and

coverage drills. It was really a blessing to have him there."

Arrington first met Maybin when Arrington was playing for the Redskins and Maybin was a

middle schooler in Ellicott City, Md. Arrington was working at a football camp Lewis was

running; Maybin was attending it.

"He has a picture of the two of us making muscles," Arrington said. "My arm was way bigger

than his; he was a string bean."

Arrington has stayed in touch with Maybin ever since. Now the two have a professional

relationship, too. Arrington runs a management company for pro athletes called Leap

Management, and Maybin is a client.

"I think the Bills got the steal of the draft," said Arrington, whose NFL career ended due

to injuries in 2007. "Obviously I do have a lot of history with him. But I think he's a

phenomenal individual first, who will bring a lot of value to the community as a person. And

his talent level is pretty phenomenal. He's explosive. He's very deceptively strong as well.

He's built for what the Bills have brought him here to do."

Maybin is a speed rusher who the Bills hope will improve their ability to put pressure on

the quarterback. The 6-foot-4, 250-pounder finished with 12 sacks last season. He ranked

seventh in the nation in sacks per game. He had 20 tackles for loss, which ranked tied for

eighth in the country. He was consistent, with at least one sack in 10 games. He also forced

three fumbles. That's a talent that Arrington thinks will blossom at the NFL level.

"He just has a knack for getting to the quarterback and the ball carrier and for knocking

the ball out," Arrington said. "We joke a lot. I say, "What's the difference between my game

and your game?' He'll say, "I know how to get the ball out.' "So I didn't know how to get the

ball out?' I'll say. And he says, "You tried to knock them out, and if the ball came out,

fine.'"

Arrington also has a close relationship with Merriman and has made sure Maybin benefits

from the advice of other pros.

"If you want to be the best, you have to prepare like the best," Arrington said. "You want

to think like the best, you have to spend time listening to what the best do. I'm not saying

I'm the best, but I sure do put a lot of guys that I feel like are the best around them and we

become a community."

Maybin talks to Lewis, the inspirational leader of the Ravens, on a regular basis.

"I did some work with his charity when I was younger in high school," Maybin said of Lewis.

"With Shawne, he was a Maryland guy, and they recruited me. There's just certain people you

meet throughout your career that I try to just hold on to, because you never know when you'll

be in a situation when somebody can really lend you a helping hand and give you some advice

that'll go a long way for you.

"My main focus now, based on the conversations that we've all had and advice that I've

gotten, has just been to try to remain the same person that I've been to help me get to this

point. And to keep working hard and help this team win football games."

The presence of Posluszny figures to make Maybin's adjustment to Buffalo a bit easier.

"We trained together this whole offseason, down in Lancaster, Pa.," Maybin said. "So I had

a chance to really pick his brain a lot about just the nature of the business, his experiences

and all that kind of stuff.

"He did relate to there being a sour taste left in their mouths after the way the season

started and ending in the way that it did. But the one thing that he kept on relaying to me

was that he really felt like they had all the pieces of the puzzle in order to have a

powerhouse program.

"And I really feel like after watching the film that I've watched, seeing the players, and

seeing what the players have been able to do this offseason, and even on my visit here, I feel

very confident that all the tools are here."