Consider longtime ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper, Jr. a fan of former Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer. Mayer headed the group of tight ends that Kiper calls the 10 best in the 2023 NFL draft.
Kiper said of Mayer:
“NFL teams want tight ends who can stretch the deep middle of the field — and block well enough to line up next to offensive tackles, that’s Mayer, who can be a force in the red zone. Linebackers simply can’t cover him (and safeties struggle with his size). He has a wide catch radius and could produce as a pass-catcher in the NFL. He’s a complete player.”
– Mel Kiper, Jr. (Subscription required)
Mayer declared for the draft following Notre Dame’s regular season finale at USC. He exits Notre Dame leading all tight ends in program history in nearly every statistical category despite only playing three seasons.
Here is how Kiper ranked the entire top 10 tight ends for the 2023 NFL draft: