Cody Mauch 2023 NFL Draft Profile
Just by looking at North Dakota State’s Cody Mauch, you can guess he either plays hockey or football. The two front teeth missing and the long, bright red hair signals he is one tough fella. A fantastic tackle in the FCS, but can he develop into a great tackle at the next level? Let’s talk about his draft profile.
Everything about the story of Mauch I like. He played nine-man football in high school, setting a North Dakota state record for both career touchdowns and sacks. He walked-on as a tight end at NDSU, but decided to gain 40 pounds and move to the offensive line. Boy, did that move pay off. Mauch would become an anchor of the Bisons’ offensive line, getting a second-team AP All-American nod in 2021 and first-team in 2022.
I watched Mauch at the Senior Bowl this year. You can just tell this guy wants to be great. He spoke like someone who just wants to be a sponge and soak up any knowledge he can. Always talking about how it was playing with other guys out there. His first day wasn’t great but his last two days of practice he turned it around. Trey’s notes from the combine noted that he did well in Indy, displaying good footwork and his mean streak was on display. I won’t give away the farm, check the notes.
I love a tackle who just plays nasty — Cody Mauch does just that. He looks smooth in pass protection, using that tight-end agility to his advantage. Always finishes his block. His kick-out is absolutely one of his biggest strengths. Mauch gave up only two sacks in over 800 reps at tackle in college. Love that. Speed rushers are going to have a problem against Mauch at the next level. Power rush might have fits too, as Mauch has solid strength. Getting up to the second level consistently is something that came the longer he was in college.
Mauch has shorter arms than you’d like for a tackle, which can create problems. For example, he likes to use his hands early, which if beaten tends to get a little too grabby. His footwork is solid, but could definitely be cleaned up a bit. I noted two unique things that tend to happen almost at the same time. He plays fairly upright at times, which takes away from leverage. But he also puts his head down a lot, which is definitely not ideal. Mauch has to fix those issues immediately.
I am in on Cody Mauch. I think he will find a home in the NFL and develop into a plus starter. Teams could possibly kick Mauch inside which I think could be a wise decision. At least try him out. He has nasty guard written all over him. Mauch gets a day-two grade from me as he easily will be a top-100 pick in the draft.
