INDEPENDENCE, Ky. — Former University of Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer won't need any motivation when he runs onto an NFL field for the first time.
Mayer, a 2020 Covington Catholic High School graduate, is finally fulfilling his dream of playing in the NFL, but he just so happened had to wait longer than expected to join a team.
The Las Vegas Raiders selected Mayer in the second round of the NFL Draft.
"Obviously there was the expectation of being picked last night but he knows he will be a part of the NFL by tomorrow and that he belongs there," CovCath coach Eddie Eviston said early Friday afternoon.
"And just as some of the best to ever do it, I am pretty positive he will use this as fuel for the fire when he enters every NFL stadium on Sunday for the next several years."
Mayer watched the first round of the draft with family and friends in Northern Kentucky Thursday night. Television cameras captured Mayer setting his phone on a table at one point and shaking his head as he waited for news late Thursday night.
Some mock drafts had Mayer going from mid-to-late first round including possible speculation that the Bengals would select him at No. 28. ESPN analyst Matt Miller told WCPO last week that Mayer was a "sure-fire" first-round selection.
Despite the expectations, Eviston isn't surprised that Mayer has a good perspective.
"This is just the beginning for him living in the business of professional sports and he is handling it very well," Eviston said.
Mayer, an Associated Press first-team All-American earned an impressive resume his junior season at Notre Dame. He also set multiple program records during his career in South Bend.
He had 67 receptions for 809 yards (12.1 yards per catch) and nine touchdowns this past season.
RELATED | 'He's a sure-fire first-rounder': Former Covington Catholic star Michael Mayer prepares for the NFL
"I think the biggest thing is just the all-around player that he is," Eviston said last week. "I think he'll be the first to say this as well: There might be guys that might be a little bit faster than him, might be able to jump higher, a little bit more athleticism on their route running. But, his knack for being able to do all of the things very well at a very high level I think is very appealing to people especially in the NFL where you're facing many defenses. He's never not out of the game plan because of all the things he does well."
Mayer was a highly-regarded tight end out of CovCath. He earned the Gatorade Kentucky player of the year as a senior in 2019 and was selected in the All-American Bowl.
Everyone at CovCath knows about Mayer's ability on the football field and on the basketball court during his high school career. Opposing coaches thought Mayer had the early potential to play in the NFL one day.
In 2019, he posted 49 receptions for 970 yards and 15 touchdowns along with two rushing touchdowns. Defensively, he tallied 102.5 tackles, 1.5 sacks and four interceptions (returning one for a touchdown).
Eviston caught up with Mayer's high school teammates in the past couple of weeks. The Colonels reminisced about the 2019 Class 5A state championship team that included Mayer.
"They all followed him," Eviston said. "He set the bar high. That's what made us so successful."
Mayer would be the first CovCath graduate to be selected in the NFL Draft, according to the school. Eviston said Mayer has prepared for this moment for a long time and has a vision for his NFL career.
"He has that focus," said Eviston. "I don't think he's just going to accept, 'All right I got drafted and I made it.' I think he's, 'Hey, All right. Now I'm at this level - what can I do here? And I think that's the approach he's taken everywhere."
