Buccaneers draft Cody Mauch in the second round

Cody Mauch - Courtesy: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Logo
Cody Mauch - Courtesy: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Logo

With the 17th pick of the second round (No. 48 overall) the Green Bay Packers trade the pick to Tampa Bay… Now with the 48th pick the Buccaneers select… Cody Mauch, offensive lineman, North Dakota State.

After a collegiate career that saw him accomplish countless feats from being an All-American offensive lineman to winning FCS National Championships, Cody is now an NFL player!

During his time at NDSU, he started 39 straight games at tackle along with making an appearance in every game from 2019-22. He is a two-time All-American and three-time All-MVFC honoree that includes being a first teamer in 2021 and 2022.

Over the past few months Mauch showed his versatility at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine among other events. He proved that no matter the situation he’ll be ready to prove himself, whether it’s at tackle, guard, or even spanning the football at center.

ESPN’s Steve Muench gave a pre-draft analysis of Cody saying, “Mauch is a relentless mauler with the ability to bury defenders. Sometimes he blocks multiple defenders on one play. He has the lateral quickness to cover up defenders at the line of scrimmage and takes sound angles climbing to the second level.” Muench continued, “He's tough to beat once he locks on and sinks his hips as a pass protector. He showed he has some versatility by playing guard and center during the week of practices at the Senior Bowl.”

Additionally, ESPN’s Matt Miller gave his thoughts after Mauch was drafted by Tampa Bay saying, “There is a huge hole at right guard for the Buccaneers, and Mauch can step right in to fill it. He is a plug-and-play starter despite coming from the FCS level at North Dakota State. He's versatile enough to play all five offensive line positions and gives Tampa Bay a ton of flexibility up front.”

This now marks the fifth straight NFL Draft where at least one Bison has been selected. This is also the third straight NFL Draft an NDSU lineman has been taken with Mauch now joining Dillon Radunz (Tennessee 2021) and Cordell Volson (Cincinnati 2022).

If there’s one thing I’m certain of, it’s that Tampa Bay just drafted one heck of a football player that can help solidify the Buccaneers offensive line for the next decade.