NFL Draft OL Prospect Cody Mauch Says Every Team Has Asked About His Missing Front Teeth

When 6-foot-6, 305-pound NFL Draft prospect Cody Mauch walks into a room, there's no question about what position he plays. It's also no surprise he hails from North Dakota State.

With his signature long red hair -- and even more notable missing front teeth -- the highly ranked offensive tackle could double as a true mountain man. Mauch embodies the prototypical bruiser on the offensive line.

NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein summed up Mauch perfectly in his official overview leading up to the NFL Draft.

"Mauch’s two front teeth are missing (they were knocked out during a junior high basketball game) and he wears a big mop of shoulder-length red hair, so you get the sense you are about to watch a hockey player on turf when you turn on the game tape. As expected, Mauch is a rugged player with an attacking demeanor who does his most consistent work as a drive blocker in the run game. Inconsistent footwork in pass protection and below average arm length could foreshadow a move inside to guard, where he is capable of competing for a starting job as a scheme-versatile tough guy."

On Saturday while at the NFL Combine, the former Bison standout was asked about the story behind his missing front teeth.

And he didn't hesitate going into full detail.

"So I was in 7th grade in a conference championship basketball tournament," Mauch said. "I was just diving for a loose ball and so was one of my buddies and I kind of dove right into his head."

The big man didn't stop there.

"So my teeth were kind of loose in there," he continued while hilariously gesturing with his hands. "So I was sent to the ER and they pulled them out that night."

Cody Mauch explains why he still hasn't fixed his teeth

By this point, the missing front teeth paired with the long red hair have become part of Mauch's identity.

"I went through the process of trying to get them fixed with braces, retainers, these little flippers... all kinds of stuff," Mauch said. "And eventually I kept breaking retainers and my Mom would get mad at me because I would break them and have to keep going back to the orthodontist.

So eventually I just stopped wearing it and kind of embraced the whole 'no two front teeth' look

While the NFL hopeful claims he still considers fixing his teeth at some point, he admits he may just keep his unique signature look forever,

"You know I say I will get them fixed maybe after football, but I don't even really know if I ever will," Mauch admitted. "It's just part of me I guess."

Finally, in a revelation on just how in-depth NFL teams go when interviewing potential prospects, Mauch gave insight into teams inquiring about his missing teeth.

"Has anyone asked about your teeth in meetings here," the reporter asked from the NFL Combine.

"I think every team," Mauch responded with his toothless grin. "I think every person I've talked to here has had some kind of question about it so I don't really mind it."

Mauch was a second-team Associated Press All-American and a first-team all-conference pick in 2021, starting all 15 games at left tackle as the team again took the FCS title. The AP voted him a first-team All-American in 2022, as did the MVFC coaches, as he started all 15 games at left tackle.

His story is quite remarkable. We outlined the wild journey back in February and it's absolutely worth the read.

As it stands, NFL.com has Cody Mauch ranked as the third-best offensive tackle in the 2023 NFL Draft class.