Mock drafts are continuing to be done by many analysts around the NFL landscape as we are inching closer to the kickoff the 2023 NFL Draft on April 27th in Kansas City, Missouri. The New Orleans Saints hold the 29th overall pick in this year’s draft and there is starting to become a trend that they will zone in on taking a defensive lineman.
That wasn’t the case in NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah’s latest NFL mock draft where he has the Saints going on the offensive side of the ball by selecting Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer. Hear from Jeremiah on what makes Mayer a great fit for the Saints and how he will be able to complement Derek Carr:
“Mayer would be an excellent value pick at this point in round one. He is a complete tight end, and Derek Carr would have a reliable security blanket on third down.”
Looking at the Saints Tight End Depth Chart:
New Orleans Saints TE Juwan Johnson (83) – New Orleans Saints
New Orleans was able to lock up Juwan Johnson on a two-year deal. Johnson formally started his collegiate career playing at wide receiver, but he would be later converted to the tight end position. He had an exceptional 2022 season with the Saints as he recorded 42 receptions on 65 targets for 508 yards and a team-high seven receiving touchdowns. Outside of Johnson, New Orleans has Adam Tratuman, Taysom Hill and Adam Krull as the only active tight ends on the roster.
Trautman has been used as a secondary target, but he has become valuable as a blocker. In 2022, Trautman had 18 receptions for 207 yards and a touchdown. He has yet to live up to the billing of New Orleans, taking him in the third round in the 2020 NFL Draft. On the other hand, Hill has been a gadget play for the Saints ever since he stepped into the locker room. Hill had another good showing in 2022, where he rushed for 575 yards on 96 attempts and seven touchdowns. The BYU product is used everywhere on the field, even in special teams.
New Orleans could use another complimentary target alongside Johnson to be able to fill the void that is currently at the tight end position. The Saints have been in the market looking for a tight end in the free agency period as New Orleans visited with Foster Moreau. Moreau, who is on the Las Vegas Raiders, has shown that he is Carr’s favorite go-to target. If the Saints strike out finding another tight end in free agency, then Mayer would be a slam-dunk pick for the black and gold.
Michael Mayer Scouting Report:
Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer (87) – Robert Franklin/South Bend Tribune
Mayer enters the 2023 NFL Draft as one of the top tight end prospects in this year’s draft class and he is considered to be ‘elite’. He showed throughout his collegiate career that he can be one of the best at the next level. Mayer quickly got to work during his freshman season at Notre Dame as he tied for first on the team with 42 receptions and finished second with 450 catches.
He would continue that freshman success heading into his second season with the Fighting Irish. In 2020, Mayer led all tight ends with 138 receptions for 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns. The 2021 and 2022 seasons would be his best at Notre Dame as he was able to leave the program as one of the best tight ends to step on campus. During the 2021 season, Mayer hauled in 71 catches for 840 yards and seven touchdowns. In 2022, Mayer recorded 67 catches for 809 yards and nine touchdowns.
Mayer currently owns every Notre Dame tight end receiving record for the program. Scouts are going to be nipping at Mayer’s heels to select him in the first round of the draft and the Draft Network entails what makes Mayer one of the best tight ends in this class:
“On the field, Mayer illustrates several top-shelf physical qualities that should be hallmarks of his game for years to come. His hands and ability to catch in traffic jump off the screen at you immediately. Mayer has soft hands, excellent ball skills, and showcases firm concentration on passes over the middle of the field—whether he’s running stick routes from 3×1, spot routes over the ball, or working the sideline. He effortlessly catches the football away from his frame; offering a reliable catch radius.”
He is able to fight his way off of the line of scrimmage and he is able to set up opposing defensive backs. Mayer is regarded as one of the best blocking tight ends in the 2023 draft class, and he has a nose for finding the endzone. The Notre Dame product has logged 919 snaps as a run-blocker over the last three years at Notre Dame. New Orleans will be looking for someone who can go up and win contested catches, which is where Mayer thrives.
