Maggs was born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio and played scholastically at Cardinal Mooney High School.
[1] He played collegiately for the Tulane Green Wave,[2] where, as a senior, he was honored by Gannett News Service (GNS) as a second-team All-American.
[3] Following college, Maggs played in the USFL for the Pittsburgh Maulers (1984) and New Jersey Generals (1985).
He was selected by the Houston Oilers in the second round of the 1984 NFL supplemental draft, and they retained his rights when he chose to stay in the USFL.
[4] When the USFL ceased operations following the 1985 season, Maggs joined the Oilers.