Unlocking Cody Mauch
May 18th, 2023
Pulling guard?
Joe just read a very interesting line about a Bucs rookie and it sort of made Joe’s mouth water.
Eric Edholm of NFL.com is sort of a draft guy, and Joe knows a lot of NFL personnel people like Edholm because he’s always hanging out at draft functions. You know, pro days and college all-star bowl games.
Being liked by personnel guys tells Joe that Edholm pesters them with questions about players and how to scout talent.
When Edholm was breaking down the Bucs draft, he had this interesting synopsis of Mauch, the Bucs’ rookie guard and second-round draft pick.
Offensive tackle was arguably Tampa’s biggest need coming in, and that’s the college position of Cody Mauch. However, the Bucs smartly view him as a guard, where his lack of length can be covered up and his terrific athletic traits can be unlocked.
Joe doesn’t recall ever reading someone heaping that kind of praise on how athletic a guard is. Generally, these dudes are the big uglies not known for athletic ability, more for brute power and strength.
So that got Joe thinking. The Bucs want to turn the clock back and run the ball more, even though it is a passing league, right? Well, if Mauch is so athletic, and Edholm said the Bucs can take advantage of that, is Edholm suggesting we may see Mauch as a pulling guard?
Joe remembers the play that broke the Chiefs’ back when the Bucs won the Super Bowl. It was a run by Playoff Lenny in which Ali Marpet pulled and blasted Chiefs corner Charvarius Ward, which popped Playoff Lenny loose on a 27-yard touchdown.
The Chiefs defenders wanted no part of Marpet or Playoff Lenny. You could see Chiefs defensive backs pulling up after Marpet smashed Ward.
Is that the type of play we can expect from Mauch if the Bucs utilize his athletic ability?
Good for Leonard Fournette.#SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/2QY1T4tuhS
— Andrew Gibson (@1010XLAG) February 8, 2021
May 18th, 2023 at 12:18 am
Not surprised.
From what I understand about the new O, the OL requires mobility.
Seems Mauch fills the bill.
The past OL’s were more stationary for pass pro.
“It’s a new day in Tampa Bay.”
May 18th, 2023 at 12:39 am
I hope he is the mobile strong pulling guard the Bucs need. We have to be able to run the ball this season.
May 18th, 2023 at 12:53 am
he looks way too light to me, we’re gonna rush him and he’s going to get pushed around imo
May 18th, 2023 at 1:39 am
I still want to see him at his original walk-on position TE. Six goons pushing around the front seven of opposing teams with Ko lead blocking at FB. We still need at power back IMHO.
May 18th, 2023 at 1:44 am
Cody Mauch isn’t that light. He’s 6ft 6″ and weighs 305lbs. He will probably gain a few lbs too.
May 18th, 2023 at 2:37 am
Not to mention this is a photo taken at rookie camp. Dudes a beast.
May 18th, 2023 at 2:55 am
They have to have a run game with suspect QB play. It will take some pressure off the QB if we can run and open up some RPO and Play action.
I don’t think it’s about turning back the clock at all. They’re are just utilizing the talent on hand and shaping an offense around that.
May 18th, 2023 at 3:04 am
Joe, there have always been guards who stand up and are noticed for their athleticism. Marpet was lavished with praise in the draft for exceptional athleticism, and look what the Bucs got with him.
If Mauch has some of that, great. His lack of length very clearly slots him as a guard. Nobody knows until he hits the field. I think it is foolish to put too much pressure on any rookie who is still unproven.
May 18th, 2023 at 4:26 am
Pickgrin Says:
May 9th, 2023 at 1:51 pm
His speed and agility are in the highest range – “Elite”!
Mauch’s overall RAS score was 89th best out of 1,294 Tackles drafted since 1987.
That’s TACKLES – not Guards… Mauch will be one of the more athletic Guards in the NFL if what Licht said about moving him inside is true.
Here’s what NDSU offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl had to say about his star Lineman – “Cody is a freak athlete. He’s so athletic and I think that’s why he’s in the position that he is. … I think Cody is still on the rise and trending upwards.”
May 18th, 2023 at 6:07 am
Bucs absolutely drafted Mauch to be a pulling guard and he is great at it.
watch some of his college games.
May 18th, 2023 at 7:00 am
Remember folks Leftwich is no longer in this area code!!!!!!
The running game WILL IMPROVE.
GO BUCS!!!
May 18th, 2023 at 7:03 am
We have moved to zone blocking… Completely different scheme
May 18th, 2023 at 7:36 am
I’m looking forward to some smash mouth football. In boxing you set up the knock out shot with plenty of body blows. Home opener, da Bears. Get the opening kick off, and run it down their throat. Bucs need to use that heat to their advantage second week at home, and wear sommeone out for a change.
May 18th, 2023 at 8:17 am
It will be fun to see Mauch out there running around smashing people. It looks like his best trait is being able to move well and block in a zone type run scheme, which is what the Bucs will be running. I can see him doing very well as a pulling guard as well, so yeah, I expect we will see him get out there in space and be able to lay a hat on some LB’s or DB’s.
May 18th, 2023 at 8:53 am
Yep guards with skinny legs always dominate
May 18th, 2023 at 9:39 am
Y’all talking about pulling guards like it’s a specific position in the NFL… all guards pull… all of them.
Cobraboy, mobility is not required in pass pro, being able to mirror pass rushers is. That’s agility. With a team that runs zone runs, mobility is required in the running game. Speed and agility are required from those players.
May 18th, 2023 at 9:40 am
Destinjohnny Says:
May 18th, 2023 at 8:53 am
Yep guards with skinny legs always dominate
—————
You think he has skinny legs? Look again.
May 18th, 2023 at 9:45 am
What @lampchop said.
May 18th, 2023 at 11:17 am
This running game will improve just not having Byron calling plays
May 18th, 2023 at 11:35 am
There is something I don’t understand about taking college tackles and making them guards. Hopefully someone here can explain it to me.
What about all of the high performing actual guards in college football? Where are they? Why not draft a top performing guard and… plug him in at guard?
May 18th, 2023 at 12:08 pm
Cody can be a “great” for the Bucs…after he gets used to the weather here. He lived/worked/played in North Dakota where the humidity rarely gets above 60%. Look for him to shed a few pounds in the Florida heat.
May 18th, 2023 at 1:19 pm
I appreciate the enthusiasm Joe, but I didn’t see Marpet blast anyone on that play. More of a nudge.
May 18th, 2023 at 1:38 pm
I would have prefered the OG from florida
May 18th, 2023 at 2:22 pm
Dude needs to do some calf raises.
May 18th, 2023 at 2:25 pm
I can see the Bucs experimenting with Wirfs at LT and Goedeke at RT this year. If it doesn’t work out as planned with Wirfs at LT, they will move him back to RT draft another OT next year in round 1 or 2. That would mean Goedeke move inside to RG. If Goedeke doesn’t work out at RT and Wirfs is great at LT, I can see the Bucs drafting a RT in next years draft. Feiler is only on a one year deal as a stopgap, unless he plays out of his mind. Feiler is a one year stopgap, unless he plays out of his mind. I think Mauch should be penciled in at LG and Feiler at RG.
May 18th, 2023 at 5:01 pm
Cody’s legs look weak and lack muscle definition. He’s going to be a bust.
May 18th, 2023 at 5:15 pm
I hope the o line side switches work out. We’ll soon see.
May 18th, 2023 at 7:29 pm
Me thinks some fans are paying to much attention to Cody’s legs!
May 19th, 2023 at 1:02 am
he kinda looks like some more time in the weight room may be needed in that pic. Bet in a couple years he looks different.
May 19th, 2023 at 2:18 am
Dudes got Cankles… look at the mans lower legs. Bound to be a Pro Bowler!
May 19th, 2023 at 2:50 am
“is Edholm suggesting we may see Mauch as a pulling guard?”
I would hope we see Mauch do some pulling. For a big dude he can move in space well. But my understanding of Canales zone scheme is limited so I don’t know if we will see it. What say you folks? Will we get Codi Cakes?
May 19th, 2023 at 5:14 am
Delusional Intelligence Says:
May 18th, 2023 at 1:39 am
I still want to see him at his original walk-on position TE. Six goons pushing around the front seven of opposing teams with Ko lead blocking at FB. We still need at power back IMHO.
Hope Canles sees your post and says “Make it so”
🙂
That would be a play i would watch over and over again!