It took some wheeling and dealing, but the Las Vegas Raiders managed to walk away from the 2023 NFL Draft with arguably the best tight end in the class by taking Michael Mayer from Notre Dame in the second round (35th overall).
It’s hard to argue with Mayer’s résumé as not only was he a two-time All-American in college—consensus in 2022 and third-team in 2021—but he also left South Bend as the school’s career leader for tight ends in receptions (180), receiving yards (2,099) and touchdowns (18). That’s no small feat as the Fighting Irish have a storied history at the position with players like Raiders legend Dave Casper and Pro Bowlers Kyle Rudolph and Tyler Eifert.