TAMPA, Fla. – Bucs rookie offensive lineman Cody Mauch stands out with his flowing red hair and missing two front teeth. But Mauch says he’s confident he can play in the NFL and wants to prove he’s more than just a toothless character.
“I obviously have high goals for myself, but really I just want to compete,” Mauch said. “Any chance I can compete, whether it’s in the weight room, the classroom, the field, I’m just going to try to compete. I think that’s going to help me accomplish some of those goals.”
The 6-5 305 pound tackle out of North Dakota State has the ability to play anywhere on the offensive line and he showed his versatility at the Senior Bowl. Coming from a smaller school and playing against lower competition, Mauch had to show scouts and coaches that he could stand up to players coming from bigger universities and conferences like those from the SEC.
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“I’ve always felt comfortable playing, but the first time I was actually able to play guard/center was at the Senior Bowl,” Mauch said. “That really did reaffirm that you can play at any of the five spots. I was confident going in, but it just reaffirmed my confidence.”
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles is taking a wait-and-see approach as to exactly where Mauch is going to be the best fit on the O-line.
“I know he’s an athlete,” Bowles said. “He’s very smart. He’s a gritty guy. He hadn’t been down to Florida before so this is new to him, but I like the attitude, and I like the football instincts of him.”
“Yeah, it really couldn’t be any different than what I was used to in college or growing up,” Mauch said. “I’m excited for it. You’ve got to drink a lot of water and get with the nutrition staff and figure out the right thing to do.”
The one knock and it’s actually a good thing right now, is Macuh is trying to learn everything fast.
The coaches want him to slow down a bit, according to Bucs run game coordinator Harold Goodwin. “You can tell he’s over-anxious,” Goodwin said. “I’m just trying to get him to calm down and let him know that it’s a long way to September.”
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Mauch learned hard work growing up on a farm. As far as the missing front teeth, he says he got them knocked out playing basketball in 7th grade and was sick of going to the orthodontist, so he figured he’d just go toothless.
“I went through the process of trying to get them fixed with braces, retainers and these little flippers,” Mauch said, talking with the media at the NFL Combine. “Eventually, I kept breaking and losing my retainers all the time. My mom would get so mad at me. Eventually, I kind of stopped wearing them, and kind of embraced the whole no two-front teeth look.”
Mauch has the makings of being a fan favorite, but it will all come down to how he plays on the field. So far, so good for the big North Dakota farm boy.
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