Packers Get Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer in College Football News NFL Mock Draft

GREEN BAY, Wis. – At this season’s NFL trade deadline, the Green Bay Packers made a play to get Las Vegas Raiders star Darren Waller. And that was with Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis under contract. With Green Bay’s top tight ends hitting free agency, it stands to reason that the position might be a spotlight within the 2023 NFL Draft – no matter where Aaron Rodgers is throwing passes.

In his latest mock draft, published after Sunday’s divisional playoff games, College Football News publisher Pete Fiutak went with Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer.

In 24 games during his final two seasons, Mayer led all tight ends with 138 receptions for 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns. Mayer was named an All-American following each seasons. Mayer set school records for a decent end along with his 71 receptions for 840 yards in 2021 and his nine touchdown receptions in 2022.

Amongst tight ends with at the very least 35 targets this season, Mayer ranked first in deep catches (eight) and contested catches (17), second in first downs (44) and fifth in missed tackles (12), in accordance with Pro Football Focus. While perhaps not probably the most explosive tight end in the category, he’s a rare three-down player and never simply an overgrown receiver with limited ability to do the dirty work. That’s what has him atop an unusually strong draft class on the position.

As noted by Ryan Roberts of SI.com’s Irish Breakdown, “The largest query marks surrounding Mayer have been just how well he’ll test whether it’s on the 2023 NFL Scouting Mix or the Notre Dame pro day, specifically when it comes to straight-line speed. There’s this assumption swirling that he isn’t a superb athlete and that testing could go an extended approach to disproving that narrative.”

Also within the mock, the Chicago Bears grabbed a game-changing defensive tackle with the primary overall pick and the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings focused on their secondaries.

100 Days of Mocks

Starting Jan. 17, when there have been 100 days until the beginning of the NFL Draft, we began our mock-worthy goal of 100 mock drafts in 100 days. Here’s the 100-day-countdown series.

100 days: First-round quarterback?

99 days: Trading for out of doors linebacker

98 days: Stud tight end

97 days: This pick would break an extended drought

96 days: Daniel Jeremiah goes back to Georgia

95 days: Two firsts if Rodgers is traded