Scouting Report: What can you say about a guy that's 6'4" and 365lbs? Well you can say that he's suprisingly athletic for a man that size, and he's actually got decent technique as a one technique NT type player. But the draw of Mount Cody is the fact he's a giant space eater. He absorbs double teams, uses his power to crush the pocket, and just overwhelms players. For short stretches he can dominate a game from the middle of the line of scrimmage. I say short periods, because like any man his size, conditioning is always an issue. And if you are looking for a guy with flashy stats, look away. If you want to measure the value of Cody, look at how the players behind him do, when he's swallowing up 2 and sometimes 3 offensive players. He's a solid, but not spectacular tackler, typically being part of the tackle, rather than chasing anyone down and getting them solo.
Draft Status: With the inclusion of so many 3-4 base defenses in recent years, a player like Cody who could be dominant as a 2 down nose tackle will make him almost certainly a first round pick. He won't gain a lot of momentum in the offseason because he's not going to impress anyone in shorts. Trust me. But when you figure in Suh and McCoy will be gone in the top ten, Cody is almost certainly a mid to late first round pick. The Jets, Niners, and Chargers will all be picking in that same area and all could need a new NT.
Final Analysis: When Cody is on and motivated he's a crusher. He can just walk the pocket back into the backfield on a quarterback, plug multiple running lanes, and just generally beat down offensive linemen. But he's massive, and a little bit on the tall side if that's possible, so when his conditioning or effort waiver, you see it in poor posture and leverage, and he gets out played by guys who never should. He might be better off playing at off playing at a weight of around 340 rather than 365, and being able to be on the field for more snaps, where that power and disruption can be put to better use.
Reminds me of: Shaun Rogers, DT Cleveland Browns-Watch Rogers play, and see the highs and lows he and Browns fans go through, and you can picture Cody doing the same things. When they are going strong, they are impossible to block, and even harder to avoid. When they are gassed or just not feeling 100 percent effort, they are just another body on the field. Cody has a chance to be an instant impact type of player for a 3-4 team, if he can maintain his conditioning and attitude, because physically he's simply overpowering.
Red Flags: Conditioning
Scouting Report written by Curt Popejoy |
