2026 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Cody Ruff, TE, Stonehill College

• Name:  Cody Ruff
• Position: TE
• College: Stonehill College
• Height: 6’5”
• Weight: 250lbs
• Twitter: codyruff8
• Instagram: codyruff_

What makes you a top prospect at your position in the 2026 NFL Draft? 

Coachability – I think being able to take coaching and apply that to the field quickly is important because making the same mistakes over and over is something that gets you sidelined

What is one thing that NFL teams should know about you?

I value my word extremely highly and if any team were to give me a shot I would guarantee I would make it worth their time

If you could donate to one cause in the world, what would it be? 

I would donate to the St Jude childrens hospital, what those kids have to go through is some of the most adversity and if I could help even a few I’d gladly do it

Who was your role model? 

For me its always been Ray Lewis, He was a force on the field someone who had to acknowledge. Tom brady talked about having to change gameplans because of him and hearing things like that makes me want to do the same.

Who is your favorite NFL team?

My favorite Team is the Ravens I have a lot of family from baltimore so that has been my team from the start

Who is the most underrated teammate at your school? 

It has got to be my wide receiver Brigham Dunphy he spent the first two years unable to play due to injury’s or but came back his junior year and put on a hell of a performance. He pushes me like no other and so I gotta give him a huge shout out for always being in my corner.

What is your biggest pet peeve? 

It has to be cheaters and not people who cheat on tests or relationships but cheat themselves out of the things they could have by procrastinating or putting it off and ending up wasted potential 

Who is your favorite teacher ever?

My seventh grade social studies teacher Mr. Ledbetter, He really connected with me on a personal level about not listening to what others say and doing the things you enjoy regardless what others have to say and I’ll never forget that.

Overcoming adversity is what defines character, what was the hardest moment in your life to overcome? 

My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and it was devastating to hear that and to see the person I had relied on to be strong for me my whole life be weakened right before my eyes was heartbreaking but in that time I realized she needed me to be strong for her and thankfully things seemed to have worked out but during it you never knew what the future held all you could see was your next step and so that’s what I took.

If you could have any franchise restaurant in your house what would it be?

I’ll go with shake shack they got breakfast sandwiches and great burgers which is one of my favorite foods, pair that with a chocolate milkshake and I couldn’t ask for a better meal.

What is your favorite snack food? 

Definitely the nature valley granola bars, the regular honey ones that crumble and make an absolute mess are one of my go to snacks.

What is your degree in? 

I am on track to earn a bachelors in computer science and a minor in business

If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive, who would it be and why? 

I would have dinner with Lebron James, Ray Lewis, and Barack Obama. These three guys carry themselves in a way I truly admire and would love to be able to sit with them and soak in their wisdom see the way they carry themselves so I can take all that in and then use it to build upon myself.

What is your biggest weakness?

It would be learning tendencies, understanding what exactly the players across from me specialize in and then using that to my advantage. It is something I have been prioritizing this offseason spending more time seeing and practicing it in intersquad scrimmages and practices.