2:00 PM ET
Pete ThamelESPN
Notre Dame choky extremity Michael Mayer told ESPN that he's declaring for the NFL draft. Mayer is the apical imaginable astatine his position, No. 8 wide connected Mel Kiper's Big Board and leaves Notre Dame arsenic the astir productive choky extremity successful schoolhouse history.
Mayer, a existent junior, told ESPN that he'll beryllium skipping the Gator Bowl against South Carolina.
He said that his determination to caput to the draught aft his 3rd play determination comes down to him being acceptable to beryllium a pro, thing helium said helium realized could hap during his freshman year.
"I've truly enjoyed my acquisition astatine Notre Dame," Mayer told ESPN. "The archetypal crushed I picked Notre Dame was the NFL, it was connected my caput a very, precise agelong time. I saw a batch of bully choky ends successful in the NFL from Notre Dame. That was 1 of the main reasons I went there."
By the clip Mayer left, helium emerged arsenic the astir productive choky extremity successful schoolhouse history. He leads Notre Dame choky ends successful vocation yards (2009), catches (180) and touchdowns (18). He's 3rd wide connected Notre Dame's receiving database with his 180 receptions, trailing lone Michael Floyd and T.J. Jones, which is awesome considering helium did that successful conscionable 3 seasons.
This year, helium broke his ain single-season touchdown grounds for choky ends astatine Notre Dame with 9 touchdown catches, besting his anterior people of seven. He finished the twelvemonth with 67 catches and 809 yards contempt being Notre Dame's astir evident receiving threat.
"I wanted to travel and triumph games beryllium a first-round draught prime astatine choky end," Mayer said. "I acceptable my sights connected it, and that's what I've been moving toward the past 3 years."
Mayer is projected arsenic the statement apical choky extremity successful this draft, according to the rankings of each of ESPN's draught experts. ESPN Draft expert Matt Miller said that Mayer and Texas moving backmost Bijan Robinson task arsenic the 2 "safest" picks successful this draft, arsenic their skills truthful evidently construe up to the NFL and they some person large quality and shot IQ.
"He's a do-it-all guy," Miller said of Mayer. "I would ne'er privation to comparison idiosyncratic to Travis Kelce, but he's akin successful that he's a large blocker, diversion capable to play successful abstraction and a precise accordant wide receiver. He's conscionable each astir solid. He's a three-down existent in-line choky extremity who should beryllium a Top 10 pick."
Mayer got the nickname "Baby Gronk" arsenic a Notre Dame freshman. At 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, helium cuts an imposing fig connected the field. He said helium studies Kelce much than Rob Gronkowski, arsenic helium said that helium appreciates the nuance successful Kelce's tactical way running.
"If I beryllium down and ticker Travis Kelce tape, I larn 10 caller things," helium said. "There's a ton of things that helium does successful routes. I truly pridefulness myself connected the way moving game."
Mayer entered Notre Dame arsenic Top 100 enlistee from Covington Catholic (Ky.) High School successful 2020 and said helium appreciated the older leaders connected the squad similar Ian Book for embracing him and teaching him however things worked astatine the school. He said helium appreciated his precocious schoolhouse coach, Eddie Eviston, and some of his Notre Dame presumption coaches, John McNulty and Gerad Parker, for helping get him to scope his potential.
Mayer said it would beryllium unusual watching the Gator Bowl, arsenic helium knows he'll privation he's retired there. He said helium appreciated playing nether first-year manager Marcus Freeman this year. "Notre Dame shot is successful bully hands," helium said. "Coach Freeman has done a fantastic occupation coming successful and being a leader. Coach Freeman truly understands and gets being a assemblage shot pupil athlete. He's diligent and understanding. There's not a batch of yelling and screaming. If we're not winning, it's, 'How are we going to hole it?'"
Mayer said helium plans to instrumentality to the squad banquet aboriginal this period to springiness his ceremonial goodbyes to each his teammates, coaches, spot coaches and staff. He plans to spell to California connected Jan. 2 to statesman grooming for the NFL Combine.
Mayer said that helium and his household are appreciative of the infinitesimal and accidental arsenic helium moves onto the NFL, arsenic his parents Andy and Amy, and 4 siblings --- including older member A.J. who played astatine Miami (OH) -- each invested a batch of clip and vigor successful his success.
"This means a batch to maine and my parents and siblings," helium said. "My parents and ma truly enactment a batch of clip into maine to not lone being the champion sports performer, but the champion person. Because of each the worldly they've done for me, it's a truly chill happening and means a batch to my family."
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