ND’s Mayer, top TE possibility, goes with NFL draft

2:00 PM ET Pete ThamelESPN Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer informed ESPN that he’s stating

for the NFL draft.

Mayer is the leading possibility at his position, No. 8 overall on Mel Kiper’s Big Board, and leaves Notre Dame as the most efficient tight end in school history.Mayer, a real junior, informed ESPN that he’ll be avoiding the Gator Bowl versus South Carolina.He said that his decision to head to the draft after his third season at Notre Dame comes down to him being ready to be a pro, something he stated he understood might occur throughout his freshman year. “I’ve truly enjoyed my experience at Notre Dame,” Mayer told ESPN. “The first reason I selected Notre Dame was the NFL, it was on my mind a very, very long time.

I saw a great deal of great tight ends in the NFL from Notre Dame. That was one of the main factors I went there.”2 Associated Mayer completes his college career as the most productive tight end in school history. He leads Notre Dame tight ends in career backyards(2009), captures(

180)and goals(18). He’s 3rd overall on Notre Dame’s getting list with 180 receptions, tracking just Michael Floyd and T.J. Jones, which is impressive considering he reached that overall in simply three seasons.This year, he broke his own single-season touchdown record for tight ends at Notre Dame with 9 touchdown catches, besting his previous mark of 7. He ended up the year with 67 catches and 809 lawns regardless of being Notre Dame’s most obvious getting threat.”I wished to come and win games be a first-round draft pick at tight end, “Mayer said.”I set my sights on it, which’s what I have actually been working toward the last 3 years.”Mayer is the consensus top tight end in this draft, according to the rankings of all of

ESPN’s draft experts. ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller stated that Mayer and Texas running back Bijan Robinson project as the 2″ most safe” selects in this draft, as their abilities so undoubtedly translate as much as the

NFL.” He’s a do-it-all guy,”Miller stated of Mayer.”I would never wish to compare someone to Travis Kelce, however he’s similar because he’s a terrific blocker, athletic enough to play in space and an extremely consistent wide receiver. He’s simply well-rounded solid. He’s a three-down true in-line tight end who ought to be a top-10 pick.

“Mayer got the label Infant Gronk as a Notre Dame freshman. At 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, he cuts an enforcing figure on the field. He said he studies Kelce more than Rob Gronkowski, as he said that he values the subtlety in Kelce’s tactical route running. “If I take a seat and view Travis Kelce tape, I discover 10 brand-new things,

“he said.”There’s a ton of things that he carries out in routes. I actually pride myself on the route-running game.”Mayer got in Notre Dame as a top-100 hire from Covington Catholic(Ky.)High School in 2020 and stated he valued the older leaders on the team such

as Ian Book for embracing him and teaching him how things worked at the school. He stated he appreciated his high school coach, Eddie Eviston, and both of his Notre Dame position coaches, John McNulty and Gerad Parker, for helping him to reach his potential.Mayer stated it will be weird seeing the Gator Bowl, as he understands he’ll wish he was out there. He said he valued playing under first-year coach Marcus Freeman this year. “Notre Dame football is in good hands,”he stated.”Coach Freeman has done a great job being available in and being a leader. Coach Freeman truly understands and gets being a college football student athlete.

He’s patient and understanding. There’s not a great deal of yelling and shouting. If we’re not winning, it’s, ‘How are we going to repair it?'”Mayer said he prepares to go back to the team banquet later on this month to provide his formal farewells to all his teammates, coaches, strength coaches and personnel. He plans to go to California on Jan. 2 to start training for the NFL combine.Mayer said that he and his family appreciate of the moment and chance as he moves onto the NFL, as his parents Andy and Amy, and his 4 siblings– including older bro A.J., who played at Miami( OH)– all invested a lot of energy and time in his success.”This means a lot to me and my parents and brother or sisters,” he said. “My moms and dads and mommy really put a great deal of time into me to not just being the very best sports entertainer, but the best person.

Because of all the stuff they have actually provided for me, it’s a truly cool thing and indicates a lot to my household.”