Buccaneers bolster key position with second round pick in NFL Draft
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive line was an absolute disaster in 2022, so it'd make sense that they shore up the unit as much as possible heading into 2023. They took one big step forward in doing just that on Friday night when they traded up from No. 50 in Round 2 to No. 48 […]
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive line was an absolute disaster in 2022, so it'd make sense that they shore up the unit as much as possible heading into 2023.
They took one big step forward in doing just that on Friday night when they traded up from No. 50 in Round 2 to No. 48 in order to draft former North Dakota State offensive lineman Cody Mauch.
Mauch is the ideal Jason Licht pick when it comes to an offensive lineman: He's a big, fierce, athletic prospect from a small school. Licht loves those kinds of players and has a unique eye for picking some of the best talent. All one do is has to list players like Ali Marpet, Alex Cappa, and even Ryan Jensen, to an extent.
Licht's track record is excellent when it comes to this type of pick, so fans should be excited
Licht has drafted the likes of Robert Hainsey and the aforementioned Cappa and Marpet, and signed former Colorado State Pueblo University product Ryan Jensen to two of the most lucrative contracts for a center in NFL history. All four players have been very dependable starters in their careers and all but Hainsey, who is still on his rookie contract, have gone on to make a ton of money in the NFL.
In other words: They're all really good players.
Mauch should be able to fit the same mold. He could stand to add some weight, but he has plenty of experience as a three-year starter and has the right movement abilities to succeed in the zone scheme the Buccaneers are going to deploy in 2023.
The Buccaneers clearly like Mauch, too, evidenced by the fact that they traded up two spots to get him. Licht traded the No. 50 overall pick and the 179th overall pick, per FOX Sports' Greg Auman.
The Athletic's Dane Brugler wrote the following scouting report on Mauch in his 2023 edition of The Beast:
Overall, Mauch doesn’t have ideal length or sand in his lower body, but he has outstanding movement skills, fierce handwork and innate competitiveness to become a starter early in his NFL career. He should get a look at tackle first but also projects well inside, reminiscent of Mitch Morse.
