Back at it again. Draft Nick, Rick, here. Count me down. You know, I've been holding it down with these small school prospects. Everybody's asking me, Hey Rick, all these guys under the radar that you're highlighting, who is the top small school prospect? Who is the first small school player that's gonna be chosen in the 2023 NFL draft?
Who's that guy? Uh, I got a name for ya. How about the young gap tooth Wonder? In Cody Mauch right, if you watched any of the NFL network coverage during Senior Bowl week, he was a media darling. You know, he lost his uh, uh, teeth, I think playing pickup basketball back in the day. Made a look out of it, said, Hey, I just embraced it, rolled with it.
Like us down here at the Jersey Shore, we're riding the waves. Well, Cody Mauch is riding the draft process cuz not only was he dominant down in mobile, he showed some of that athleticism off at the N F L scouting combine and now at 6 5, 302 pounds, he's got position versatility at the next level, which means what?
He could be a good fit for any NFL roster because he can play guard. He. Experience starting at tackle. Unfortunately, at 32, 33 inch arms, he's gonna be best suited on the interior, but there's a lot of teams out there that can use that position. Versatility, I'm talking about teams. Right here in the Northeast where I'm based out of Philadelphia, Eagles can use an inside outside offensive line prospect.
The New York Giants can use a inside outside offensive line prospect with versatility. Heck, who in the N F L couldn't use an athletic, mean, nasty small school prospect with a chip on his throat? I mean, Cody Moore can get into the second level. He can pull down the line. That's why I believe he can be a very successful high level.
At the next level, so Cody Mauch, North Dakota State looked to hear his name called somewhere in the early second round. I'm thinking top 50 right around there. North Dakota State's very own I should mention Cody Mock buckle up. I'm Rick Sara, you're tuned to the Sub All Access Newsletter. We got you covered.
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Ric’s Evaluation
Mauch is an excellent athlete who possesses ideal lateral and vertical agility to mirror defenders in pass protection or climb to the second level and pick off linebackers in the run game. He quickly climbs to the second level and is always looking for work. Mauch has the grip strength to latch and sustain blocks against linemen, and these skills help him overwhelm defensive backs and linebackers. He frequently finishes opponents to the ground. Mauch’s speed and athletic ability quickly eat up space as he closes to targets in the open field. While he showcases a good understanding of blocking angles and rushing lanes, Mauch sometimes overruns angles on his way to second-level players. He doesn’t always have the ability to throttle down and get back in front of his man in these situations and resorts to lunging. He’s explosive out of his stance and flashes plenty of pop and violence in his hands. The tight end-turned-tackle doesn’t meet the standard arm length NFL teams look for, almost guaranteeing that Mauch shifts to guard in the NFL, a position he was rarely exposed to in college. Mauch is an older FCS prospect who hasn’t faced much elite competition. The media darling of Senior Bowl week – where his stonewall blocking reps during one-on-ones were stellar -- Mauch could end up as a second-round pick for a guard-needy team. There’s no denying the effort, motor and athleticism.
Quotable: "So I was in seventh grade in a conference championship basketball tournament. I was just diving for a loose ball and so was one of my buddies and I kind of dove right into his head, my teeth were kind of loose in there. So I was sent to the ER and they pulled them out that night. I went through the process of trying to get them fixed with braces, retainers, these little flippers … all kinds of stuff. And eventually I kept breaking retainers and my mom would get mad at me because I would break them and have to keep going back to the orthodontist. It’s just part of me, I guess.” – Cody Mauch on how he lost his two front teeth
Background: Capped his college career with invites to the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine where he timed a 1.79 10-yard split, 29 bench press reps, 29-inch vertical jump, 9-foot broad jump, 4.55 short shuttle, 7.33 three-cone, and measured 9.5-inch hands, 32-inch arms, and an 80-inch wingspan. Earned loads of honors during his career, including first-team All-America in 2022 and second-team nods in 2021. He has taken a remarkable journey from 2017, when he first arrived on campus as a walk-on tight end. From Hankinson, North Dakota, where he attended Hankinson High School, where he was a three-year starter who played numerous positions, including tight end, quarterback, and defensive end. He was also an all-conference basketball player and a standout track star. Repped by Rep1 Sports.
* 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl
* 2022 Walter Payton Award Finalist (8th)
* 2022 FCS ADA Top Offensive Lineman
* 2022 Phil Steele FCS Offensive Lineman of the Year
* 2022 Phil Steele FCS All-America First Team
* 2022 AP FCS All-America Team First Team
* 2022 Stats Perform FCS All-America First Team
* 2022 AFCA FCS All-America First Team
* 2022 HERO Sports FCS All-America
* 2022 Athlon Sports FCS All-America
* 2021 Associated Press All-America Second Team
* 2021 HERO Sports All-America Third Team
* 2021, 2022 All-MVFC First Team
* 2020-21 All-MVFC Second Team
* 2022 MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week (2)
* 2018 MVFC Honor Roll
Started 39 consecutive games over his final three seasons, two at right tackle and the last 37 at left tackle...Appeared in every game from 2019 through 2022...Part of a Bison program that went 78-8 with four NCAA Division I FCS national championships and four Missouri Valley Football Conference titles over his six years...Two-time All-American...Three-time All-MVFC honoree including first-team in 2021 and 2022.
2022 SEASON (SENIOR): Returned for a fifth year of eligibility due to COVID-19's impact on the 2020 season...Started all 15 games at left tackle for a 12-3 Bison team that advanced to the NCAA Division I FCS championship game for the 10th time in 12 years...All-America first team by AP, Stats Perform, AFCA, FCS Athletic Directors Association, HERO Sports, Athlon Sports and Phil Steele...Selected as FCS Offensive Lineman of the Year by Phil Steele and the FCS ADA...Eighth in voting for the Stats Perform Walter Payton Award, presented to the FCS Offensive Player of the Year...All-Missouri Valley Football Conference first team...Two-time MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week...Played 33 snaps against Drake with no sacks, pressures or tackles for loss allowed...Graded 93% with 25 physicality points in a 356-yard rushing performance at South Dakota...Played 622 regular-season snaps with a 94% overall grade, no sacks allowed and one holding penalty...NDSU ranked fourth nationally with 265.7 rushing yards per game, sixth in third-down conversions (50.6%), third in tackles for loss allowed and fifth in sacks allowed.
2021 SEASON (SENIOR): All-America second team by Associated Press and third team by HERO Sports...First team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference...Made all 15 starts at left tackle...Blocked for a rushing attack that ranked No. 2 in the FCS averaging 280.6 yards per game...NDSU averaged 6.21 yards per carry and rushed for 4,209 yards, the third most in school single-season history...Part of unit that collectively earned the MVFC's Offensive Lineman of the Week award for a 454-yard rushing performance at Youngstown State, the most rushing yards for the Bison in 14 years of MVFC play...Graded at 92% with zero tackles for loss and one sack allowed in 625 regular-season snaps.
2020-21 SEASON (JUNIOR): All-Missouri Valley Football Conference second team...Played in a reserve role against Central Arkansas in the fall and started all nine contests during the spring...Made his first two career starts at right tackle before moving to left tackle for the remainder of the spring...On the field for 403 of the team's 411 offensive snaps during the regular season...Graded out at 91 percent with one sack allowed and zero penalties...Helped NDSU rush for 4.8 yards per carry and 192.3 yards per game in conference play with a league-high 13 rushing TDs...The Bison ranked fourth in FCS and second among MVFC teams in fewest sacks allowed (0.80/game).
2019 SEASON (SOPHOMORE): Played in all 16 games...Wore jersey No. 70 as a backup offensive tackle but often wore No. 88 as an eligible receiver at tight end when the Bison used six offensive linemen...Part of the team's PAT and field goal unit that did not allow a blocked kick in 72 extra point and 19 field goal attempts...Caught a two-point conversion in the NCAA semifinal victory over Montana State...Helped NDSU rush for a school-record 4,601 yards and post its two highest offensive yardage totals in Division I with 690 and 700 in back-to-back weeks against Western Illinois and South Dakota.
2018 SEASON (FRESHMAN): Scout team player who provided depth on the offensive line...Appeared in six games, including the NCAA quarterfinal win over Colgate...Scout Team Player of the Week for his role in preparation for the win over Youngstown State...Named to the MVFC Honor Roll.
2017 SEASON (REDSHIRT): Sat out the season as a redshirt in the Bison program.
HIGH SCHOOL: 2017 graduate of Hankinson High School...Three-year starter who played tight end, quarterback and defensive end for coach Jason Monilaws...Team captain as a junior and senior...Two-time all-region and all-state pick...Region co-Senior Athlete of the Year...Selected to play in the Badlands Bowl and North Dakota Shrine Game...Caught 24 passes for 474 yards and a school-record 13 touchdowns to help Hankinson to the 2016 region championship...Finished his career with 1,072 receiving yards and school-record 24 TDs...Set school records for sacks in a season and career...Basketball all-conference and all-region standout...State qualifier in track...Also played baseball.
PERSONAL: Graduated from NDSU in December 2021 with a degree in agricultural and biosystems engineering...Son of Joseph and Stacey Mauch...One of eight children in the family...Has four sisters and three brothers...Cousin, Jamie Mauch, played on the 2012-13 NDSU men’s basketball team...Uncle, Andrew Mauch, was a javelin thrower for NDSU.
Ric thinks Cody Mauch is a top 50 selection