SOUTH BEND, Ind. — University of Notre Dame junior tight end Michael Mayer, a 2020 Covington Catholic graduate, announced Wednesday afternoon his intention to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft.
"I'm just so proud of him, so happy for him and his family," CovCath coach Eddie Eviston said. "It's just one of those things where he's had so much success. He had success at CovCath. You kind of knew something special was happening then. When he got to Notre Dame I can remember when he first started as a freshmen you had a couple people asking me, 'Are you surprised?' The answer is always no I'm not surprised. But, it was great to see what he was doing. He was ready for that challenge then. Part of me is I think he might have been ready for the NFL pretty early on in his college career. I think he's been kind of waiting for this moment to get ready to take on this next challenge."
Mayer, who announced the news on social media, had 67 receptions for 809 yards (12.1 ypc.) and nine touchdowns in 12 games this season for Notre Dame (8-4).
Mayer is expected to be the first CovCath graduate to play in the NFL, according to CovCath athletic director Tony Bacigalupo.
"Everybody at CovCath is proud of him," Eviston said.
The best to ever do it
Thank you, Michael. pic.twitter.com/lhneFuMvlU
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 7, 2022
Mayer earned first-team All-America honors from CBS Sports and The Athletic. He has earned numerous other honors during his three-year career at Notre Dame.
The 2023 NFL Draft is scheduled to run through April 27-29 in Kansas City.
College underclassmen have until Jan. 16 to renounce their college football eligibility by writing to the NFL office. Mayer is one of 19 underclassmen to declare as of 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Eviston said he's understood that Mayer may be the top tight end taken in the draft. Mayer could be a top 10-20 pick overall.
"Everything I've heard is he is NFL ready with the skill set that he has," Eviston said.
Mayer had a storied career at CovCath as a 2019 MaxPreps high school All-American.
Mayer, who won the Gatorade Kentucky Player of the Year, helped to lead CovCath to the 5A state title in December 2019. He was named the Kentucky Football Coaches Association (KFCA) Mr. Football that month.
Mayer played in the 20th annual All-American Bowl in San Antonio in January 2020 and scored a first-half touchdown.
