Cody Mauch Scouting Report and NFL Draft Profile
Cody Mauch Draft Measurables
6’6″ / 303 lbs.
40-Yard Dash Time – 5.20
Cody Mauch Draft Profile
Cody Mauch is a former Tight End/Defensive End for Hankinson High School in Hankinson, ND. According to NDSU’s official website gobison.com, Mauch was a three-year starter who played three total positions in high school. He played Tight End, Quarterback, and Defensive End. Although he was solid at all three positions, he was best at Tight End. By the time he graduated from Hankinson, he racked up 1,072 receiving yards and 24 receiving touchdowns. He also set the school record for most receiving touchdowns and most sacks in a season and career. Since walking on as a Tight End for NDSU he has converted to be a full-time offensive lineman. Since making the conversion, he has been nothing but impressive and has trusted the plan that the strength and nutrition staff laid out for him.
Although he is an incredible player on the field, he is an even better person off the field. I had a conversation with NDSU’s Director of Recruiting and Player Personnel Ean Deno and he had nothing but good things to say. Listed below are the statements that Ean Deno made in that conversation.
Question 1 – Can you describe what Cody Mauch would bring to an NFL team?
Answer – “I believe that Cody will bring an outstanding personality and energy to whatever NFL organization he ends up getting an opportunity with. Cody is a fantastic teammate, taking time to get to know his teammates and others within our organization. He has made an outstanding Senior leader and captain this fall for us here at NDSU. On top of that, he plays with great energy and passion for the game. Anyone that has seen Cody play or even just practice can see how much he loves getting the opportunity to play football. And I know that same energy will be showcased on the field at the next level as well!“
Question 2 – What kind of person is Cody off the field? Is he a good student/film junky? Is he a good leader in the locker room?
Answer – “Cody is a very down to earth individual. He is a small-town farm kid and will always have that in him. He is a fun-loving individual that can always make others around him smile.“
– “Cody has been a great student in the classroom and of the game of football. Cody graduated last December (2021) with a degree in agriculture. And Cody has done a wonderful job learning and mastering multiple positions within our offensive line here at NDSU after being recruited and brought in as a Tight End.”
– “Cody is a great leader and has continued to grow as a leader every day this season as a captain for us. Cody is an individual that leads by connection with his teammates and has a great ability to connect with everyone within our program.”
Question 3 – Did you recruit Cody to NDSU? If so, what about his game attracted you?
Answer – “I was unfortunately not on staff at the time when Cody was recruited here to NDSU. But I can say that one of the very intriguing things about Cody coming out of HS was his athletic ability and size. Even as a ‘smaller’ (weight-wise) player coming out of HS. Cody had great length and a body that had room to grow. Our strength staff & nutrition department have done a great job helping develop Cody’s body over his time at NDSU. And Cody has bought into developing his body so that he can be the player that he is today. While still keeping that great athleticism that was seen in him coming out of HS.“
Strengths
Athleticism
As I mentioned above, Cody Mauch played tight end and defensive end in high school. Although he made the transition to the offensive line, the athleticism is still there. For being 6’6” and over 300 lbs., he is very light on his feet. This allows him to be very effective in both pass and run-blocking schemes. In pass protection, he has a very good kick that gets him deep in the backfield quickly. This eliminates a defender from being able to rush the outside of the line. If the defender cuts back to the inside, he uses his lateral agility to mirror any move they make.
When lined up in a 3-point stance, he shows good explosiveness forward off the snap. This allows him to be the first one to engage in contact and force the defender off-balance. When moving up to the second level, he is very good at using his agility to win blocks by using angles to his advantage.
Aggressiveness
I am not sure that I have ever seen a lineman play with as much aggressiveness as Mauch. In both pass and run-blocking schemes, he always makes it a priority to finish his block. Unfortunately for the defender, this usually means Mauch overpowers them and forces them to the ground. He has a strong upper body that allows him to steer defenders and force them off-balance. Then he makes sure to take advantage of that and force them to the ground. As I mentioned earlier, Mauch is a very good blocker in the second level. He uses his agility to get set and uses his aggression to make sure the defender doesn’t go anywhere.
Zone Blocking
I cannot emphasize enough in this report how good of a run blocker Mauch is. He plays his best ball when he is acting as a lead blocker in outside zone run schemes. Off the snap, he has a very quick first step that allows him to immediately gain leverage on the defender. Once they are eliminated from the play, he does a good job of making his way to the second level. Having this ability would allow him to play almost any position on the offensive line in the NFL.
Weaknesses
Hand Placement in Pass Protection
Although I struggled to find any major weaknesses in Mauch’s game, the biggest concern I had was his hand placement in pass protection. When watching his film, I kept noticing that he tends to get his hands up toward the shoulder pads. Although he sometimes gets away with it, in the NFL they will call that holding most of the time. If Mauch can work on keeping his hands around the defender’s pectoral, he will be well off in pass protection.
Lower Body Strength
When watching his film, I kept noticing that Mauch has adequate lower body strength against power rushers. Although he does a decent job of slowing down the defenders, he lacks the strength to drive them back. He also needs to slightly improve his ability to force defenders on their heels. One thing that makes a lineman so effective is their ability to push defenders upward. Hopefully, prior to the draft, Mauch can work on his lower body strength and his ability to drop the anchor. If he can do so, I think he could be one of the best offensive linemen in this draft.
Cody Mauch Draft Stock
If the draft were to happen right now, Cody Mauch would likely get drafted in the 3rd round. As I mentioned a few times in this article, he would be best fit to play guard in the NFL. His skillset would allow him to be effective on a team that plays lots of zone run schemes.
Final Thoughts on Cody Mauch
Overall, I think that Cody Mauch is a very underrated offensive lineman in this year’s draft class. He has amazing athleticism that allows him to be an effective blocker at the line and in the second level. His passion and aggression that he plays with on the field are things that I love to see. This means that he truly loves the game and is always looking for ways to get better. He should use that passion and aggressiveness to improve his lower body strength and hand placement in pass protection. If he can improve on those aspects of his game, he will be a very special talent in the NFL.
Player Comparison
His measurements and play style reminds me of former NDSU offensive lineman Dillon Radunz.
Cody Mauch Scouting Report analyst-Matthew Lewis.
