2027 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Austin Mahoney, OT, Missouri S&T

• Name: Austin Mahoney
• Height: 6’5”
• Weight: 295 
• Position: OL
• College: Missouri University of Science and Technology
• Instagram: mahoneyaustin_

Talk about your experience as a student. What is your major/minor? Did you participate in any other activities or campus organizations other than football?
My experience as a student has been a huge focus of my life while at S&T. I just graduated with my Mechanical Engineering undergraduate degree this past spring and will be starting my masters in Systems Engineering this fall. Engineering school is quite challenging and even grueling at times, but similar to football, it taught me that perseverance and dedication to the daily grind lead to the best results. I thank my coaches, teammates, and fellow classmates for supporting me academically thus far. Beyond school and football I am very involved with my faith. I lead a Bible study for the team and I lead a discipleship group for a few of my teammates. I am also a Varsity Catholic brand ambassador. They are an organization that specializes in spreading the news of the Gospel through sports.

What do you think your teammates would say is your best quality?
My teammates know that I hate losing more than I like winning. This drives me to be a ruthless competitor no matter if it’s a drill at practice, team conditioning, or even a game of HORSE at the rec center.

Besides my competitiveness on the field, I think my teammates would say that I am personable. I do my best to say hello, call people by their names, and ask how their day is going. Even if it has nothing to do with football, I love the brotherhood aspect of always being around the guys and it is important to me to know about my teammates and their lives.

What kind of role do you see yourself in on the team? What scheme and/or position suits your skill set?
Since this is my fourth season as a starter and fifth season on the roster, I carry a lot if not the most game experience of any player on my team. This gives me the opportunity to mentor the younger players and give them advice on how I handled the situations that they are going through whether that be scout team, fighting a position battle, or even taking a tough class in school. My coaches have also set the expectations for me to be a leader both verbally and by example. 

With my basketball background and lighter stature at the start of college, working in the pass game was my first love. Over the years my physicality and run blocking technique have dramatically improved and I have developed a love for zone schemes, power, counter, and dive. With that being said, it is still very satisfying to set out and stifle a speed rush or spin move on the edge. At S&T, I have played mostly tackle and I move to the outside on 6 O-Line sets, but I feel confident that I can play anywhere on the O-Line that is asked of me.

Who is the best player you have ever played against in college?
Jaylin Vaughn from Quincy. He was a D-Lineman who excelled with both speed and power moves.

Which one of your teammates impresses you the most?
While it is hard to pick one, WR Tyler Gioia comes to mind. He has been playing with me since the beginning of college and he has navigated adversity and position changes with grace.  I’ve never met a player that was more of a team-first guy than him. He’s the kind of athlete that can excel all over the field, and he is the toughest player on our team. I’ve never seen other players take as big of hits that he has and get right back up. On top of all that, he is a joy to be around and makes friends everywhere he goes. I wouldn’t be surprised if he became a CEO or even the President some day.

Describe a time in your life when you were able to overcome a struggle.
When I weighed in for my first fall camp at S&T, I weighed about 230lbs. This was big enough in high school but nowhere near big enough to play in college. Every day I went to practice and battled players bigger, stronger, and truthfully much better than I was. I also followed a strict nutrition and strength program to get me more prepared physically. By the end of my first spring, I had gained about 55 pounds and was getting reps with the starters. That next fall I started every game we played that season. That first year taught me that no matter how far behind you feel like you are, dedication to the process can lead to the results that you want.

If you didn’t play football, what other sport would you play?
While I love many sports, basketball is my favorite non-football sport. I played it from when I was 5 years old all the way through my senior year in high school. I even received a college offer to play basketball, but turned it down for football instead. I still play recreationally when I can and have led our O-Line to four straight wins in our annual O-Line vs D-Line basketball game. I was also named MVP in each one of those games and the game trophy has a cozy spot in my bedroom.

What is something that you are most proud of? What would you say is your biggest achievement so far?
I am most proud of helping to lead our team this past season to our first winning season since our head coach has taken over. Coach Ball took over as head coach my true freshman year and every year our record has slightly improved. After finally making it over the hump, I expect our team to surprise people this year. I credit the hard work of my coaches and teammates for getting us this far but we are far from satisfied.

Describe one of the most memorable plays of your collegiate career.
The most memorable play of my career was really a full drive. This past season, away at Northeastern State, we were grinding our way through a back and forth game. A two-minute drill situation comes up at the end of the game and instead of throwing the ball we decide to run it down the field since our run game was working well for us. This all culminated in a game-winning field goal as time expired where we rushed the field. It was a very special feeling. Shout out to our kicker Layne Ryals for having the clutch gene.

Do you have a favorite athlete or professional team? Is there a player that you model your game after?
As a man from the St. Louis area, my favorite professional team is the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. I have been going to as many games as I can since I was a boy. I credit David Freese’s walk-off home run in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series as the moment that made me fall in love with sports. 

Since my father has familial ties to Michigan, I have always enjoyed watching Detroit Lions football, especially Penei Sewell. His combination of size, strength, athleticism, technique, and overall nastiness makes him an absolute joy to watch. I have spent a lot of time studying his zone steps and jump set technique.

Who is your favorite music artist? What gets you pumped before a game?
While my music taste is a bit all over the place, before a game you can’t go wrong with heavy metal or rock. It may be basic, but “Kickstart My Heart” by Motley Crue is a personal favorite before running out the locker room.

What is your favorite comfort food?
As a big guy, I obviously love to eat. My favorite is country fried steak with mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls and maybe some fried apples for dessert.

Do you have a favorite movie, TV show or actor?
My favorite movie is The Sandlot. It is an absolute childhood classic that was always on rotation in the back of Mom and Dad’s car. I also love gangster movies like Goodfellas and The Irishman. My favorite actor is Brad Pitt and he would definitely play me in a biopic about my life. 

What do you do in your spare time? Do you have any hobbies? Any secret talents?
In my spare time I am very involved in faith related activities as mentioned before. Mostly, I am a sports junkie through and through. I love watching and playing just about any sport, but basketball, baseball, and volleyball are some of my favorites.

I have several secret talents. I can juggle, I am really good at Mario Kart, I can solve a Rubick’s Cube, my thumb is double-jointed, and I can dunk a basketball.

Why do you play football? Who or what motivates you the most?
In my opinion, football is the most rewarding sport there is. On a day to day basis it can be very hard to keep up with weights, conditioning, meetings, and practices. Football is also violent and takes a real toll on your body. The reason I do it is for the sense of accomplishment when everything my teammates and I worked for culminates in a win on a Saturday. If there is a better feeling I have not felt it. The relationships I have made along the way are priceless to me. I could not imagine how my life would be if I didn’t have my brothers by my side every step of the way. On top of all that, football is just fun. It is fun to go out there and compete and be physical and impose your will upon someone else. No other sport can provide everything that football does and that is why I love it so much.