One pick that seems to be universally liked among NFL Draft experts is the selection of Michael Mayer. The former Notre Dame tight end was ranked as the top player at his position for most of the year and set every tight end record imaginable for the Fighting Irish.
In a recent article by Todd McShay of ESPN, he wrote about his favorite pick for every team during the 2023 NFL Draft. For the Raiders, that was none other than Mayer at No. 35. Here is what he had to say about the newest tight end for the Las Vegas Raiders:
I was pretty surprised Mayer, who was No. 19 on my board, didn’t go in the first round. Talk about a high-floor prospect. He will give you a little bit of everything, but his best traits are toughness and strength after the catch.
He’s a human bulldozer once the ball is in his hands, running over defenders. At 6-foot-5, he’s a huge target with good hands, and no one is better in contested catch situations in this class. But Mayer is also a true all-around tight end, with the power to be effective as an in-line blocker.
I could see him moving around quite a bit in Las Vegas, stacking as a base Y tight end or flexing out to beat defensive backs with his precise routes and size advantage.
It wouldn’t be surprising at all to see Mayer as the team’s Week 1 starter at tight end this year. Austin Hooper and O.J. Howard are fine backups but don’t project as starters at this stage of his career.
Given how productive tight ends have been under Josh McDaniels, this seems like a perfect fit for Mayer and the Raiders. Don’t be surprised if he clearly outperforms the rest of the rookie tight end class in 2023.
