TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers addressed needs for an offensive lineman and edge rusher on the second day of the NFL draft, selecting North Dakota State tackle Cody Mauch in the second round and Louisville defensive end YaYa Diaby in the third on Friday night.
Mauch fills a need created in part by the team’s decision to part ways with veteran left tackle Donovan Smith, who played poorly last season, when the Bucs struggled to protect Tom Brady and finished last in the league in rushing offense.
The Ville ➡️ Tampa Bay👏 @greatyaya4 👏#GoCards x #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/FhEiUBPkCL
— Louisville Athletics (@GoCards) April 29, 2023
While Brady threw for the third-most yards in the NFL and was one of the league’s least-sacked quarterbacks, that primarily was attributed to the seven-time Super Bowl’s ability to get the football out of his hands before being hit.
With 2021 All-Pro Tristan Wirfs already preparing himself for the possibility of moving to left tackle for next season, Mauch eventually could get an opportunity to compete for the starting job Wirfs has held on the right side since being drafted in the first round in 2020.
For the time being, though, general manager Jason Licht sees the native of Hankinson, North Dakota, as a guard.
To land Mauch, the Bucs traded up two spots from 50th overall to No. 48, swapping draft positions in the second round with Green Bay and also sending the Packers a sixth-round pick, No. 179 overall.
Mauch began his career as a 220-pound walk-on tight end and enters the NFL as a versatile 6-foot-5, 302-pound prospect.
The Bucs addressed a desire to get younger, stronger and quicker on the defensive line, selecting Pittsburgh’s Calijah Kancey with the 19th pick in the first round on Thursday night. Diaby will be counted on to contribute to a pass rush that suffered last season, with linebacker Shaquil Barrett missing much of the season with a torn Achilles.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
