Josh Mauro NFL Draft 2014: Highlights, Scouting Report and More

Josh Mauro, DE, Stanford (HT: 6’5⅞” WT: 271 lbs)

NFL Comparison: Corey Wootton, DE, Minnesota Vikings

Height	Weight	Arm	Hand
6057	271	33"	9 1/2"

40-yd dash	10-yd split	Vert	Broad	3-Cone	Bench
5.21	1.75	32"	9'8"	7.43	21

Positives

• Plays with proper leverage despite being a taller defensive lineman.
• Disciplined. Maintains gap control and plays to his assignments.
• Fine snap anticipation and initial quickness. Frequently the first defensive lineman off the ball.
• Active hands, plays with them in the frame of blockers.
• Too quick for cutoff or scoop blocks, follows pulls very well.
• Creates backfield disruption through quick first step and ability to shoot gaps or slide off blockers quickly.
• Has some flexibility to side-step and bend around blockers and get into the backfield.
• Active pass-rusher who doesn’t get locked up and run out of ideas.
• Has a hit-or-miss spin move as an interior rusher, very good starting point.
• Does a better job of getting hands up to deflect passes than statistics indicate.
• Proven versatility, played meaningful snaps at multiple positions on the Stanford defensive line.

Negatives

• More of an opportunistic player than a dominant aggressor up front.
• Too thin for interior line play and may not be a candidate for significant weight gain.
• Lacks sufficient strength in his hands to control blocks and quickly shed.
• Too often directs his momentum upwards instead of outwards.
• Will drop his head and lose eye contact with the football while engaged.
• Too easily knocked back on first contact by double-teams or combo blocks.
• Loses his base and gets pancaked every so often.
• Doesn’t have optimal bulk or strength from the lower body to anchor doubles and create congestion at the line of scrimmage.
• Struggles to keep combo blocks from reaching his linebackers.
• Too often loses his footing and ends up on his knees on first contact.
• Lacks functional strength to compress the pocket with power rushes.
• Mechanical and stiff mover, limits usage of finesse rush moves.
• Limited speed to chase down plays in pursuit.

Year	Team	Tackles	TFL	Sacks	FF	PD	INT
2010	Stanford	7	0	0	0	1	0
2011	Stanford	4	2	2	0	1	0
2012	Stanford	19	7	5	0	0	0
2013	Stanford	51	12.5	4	2	1	1

Personal Notes

• 3-star prospect in recruiting class of 2009, 61st-ranked defensive end according to Rivals. 
• 2013 Pac-12 Honorable Mention. 
• Played quarterback as well as defensive end in high school. 
• 2014 East-West Shrine Game participant.

Ratings Chart

Graph made at nces.ed.gov.

Overall

Josh Mauro was quite a productive player for the Stanford Cardinal, especially as a senior, in a defense with as much front seven talent as anyone.

He possesses a few traits that should get him drafted, but an identity crisis exists. Mauro is built like a 4-3 end, plays like a 4-3 under tackle, but almost has to be projected as a 3-4 defensive end.

Whichever team pulls the trigger will try to build around his initial quickness, but I see no obvious fit for base defenses—at least right away.

Draft Projection: 7th Round-UDFA