Bucs select North Dakota State OL Cody Mauch in 2nd round

TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers moved to strengthen a weak offensive line, deciding on North Dakota State deal with Cody Mauch within the second spherical of the NFL draft Friday night time.

Mauch fills a necessity created partially by the group’s determination to half methods with veteran left deal with Donovan Smith, who performed poorly final season, when the Bucs struggled to guard Tom Brady and completed final within the league in dashing offense.

Whereas Brady threw for the third-most yards within the NFL and was one of many league’s least-sacked quarterbacks, that primarily was attributed to the seven-time Tremendous Bowl’s skill to get the soccer out of his fingers earlier than being hit.

With 2021 All-Professional Tristan Wirfs already getting ready himself for the potential of transferring to left deal with for subsequent season, Mauch could get a chance to compete for the beginning job Wirfs has held on proper facet since being drafted within the first spherical in 2020.

To land Mauch, the Bucs traded up two spots from fiftieth general to No. 48, swapping draft positions within the second spherical with Inexperienced Bay and likewise sending the Packers a sixth-round choose, No. 179 general.

Mauch started his profession as a 220-pound walk-on tight finish and enters the NFL as a flexible 6-foot-5, 302-pound prospect who additionally could have a future at guard.

The Bucs addressed a want to get youthful, stronger and faster on the line of defense, deciding on Pittsburgh’s Calijah Kancey with the nineteenth choose within the first spherical on Thursday night time.