100 Days of Mocks: Is Mayer the Man?

On the eve of the 2023 NFL Draft, here are 20 – yes, 20 – fresh mock drafts. Nine players were the choice at No. 13, led by Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers will select Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer with the first-round pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. At least that’s the consensus in Draft Eve barrage of mock drafts.

Batting leadoff is Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. Yes, this might be a bit early for Mayer. Yes, they could probably trade back and get him. Yes, Ohio State receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba could be tempting. But, as Breer pointed out, tight end is a “big need” for the Packers and Mayer is the “best … two-way tight end” in the draft class.

Where did Smith-Njigba land? With Aaron Rodgers, naturally.

Arif Hasan of Pro Football Network put together a three-round mock, with Mayer being the pick at No. 13. In a “phenomenal” group of tight ends, Mayer is the “ideal prospect” because of his every-down ability.

Hasan addressed other big needs in the second round with Kansas State edge Felix Anudike-Uzomah, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year who forced eight fumbles the last two seasons, and Tennessee receiver Jalin Hyatt, one of the most explosive players in the draft.

Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt grabbed Mayer due to his combination of run blocking, pass catching and leadership as a captain-in-the-making.

“This is the type of guy that can be very flexible for you,” Klatt said. “He can line up at wide receiver and win a mismatch. He can also be in-line and help your run game because he's a terrific blocker and a willing blocker.”

Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com also selected Mayer. Noting the pressure Love will face, Prisco said the “best thing” for a young quarterback is to have a solid “security blanket” receiving threat. That’s Mayer, who had three years of excellent production at Notre Dame.

Longtime NFL writer Armando Salguero of Outkick took Mayer, as well. Mayer might not be the best tight end in the class, he wrote, but he is the most complete. Mayer will be Love’s “best friend” whenever the young quarterback gets in trouble.

Dalton Kincaid, All the Way

In a beat writers mock draft for ESPN, Rob Demovsky selected Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid. The passing game needs weapons – something that should have been done for Rodgers, Demovsky reasoned.

Charlie Campbell of Walter Football, perhaps accurately predicting that GM Brian Gutekunst will get fired if Love flops, gave the new starting quarterback some big-time help with Kincaid. Kincaid is the total package in the passing game.

In Campbell’s seven-round mock, Green Bay used the second-rounder acquired from the Jets on physical Auburn pass rusher Derick Hall, then drafted too-small receiver Josh Downs, who almost certainly won’t be on the board at 5-foot-8 3/4. The third-round pick was spent on another receiver, LSU’s Kayshon Boutte, who had the potential to be the No. 1 receiver in this draft 12 months ago.

The Day 3 picks were used on a safety in the fourth, another receiver in the fifth, a tight end in the sixth and a quarterback, safety, another receiver and a running back.

Following the Rodgers trade, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller updated his seven-round mock. Kincaid was the pick at No. 13, and Anudike-Uzomah was the selection with the second-rounder acquired from the Jets.

Bucky Brooks of NFL.com took Kincaid, too, because of his “mismatch potential” in the passing game.

Barstool’s Steven Cheah also grabbed Kincaid, with a pass-catching tight end being the “best friend” for any young quarterback.

How About a Receiver?

In a bizarro-world seven-round mock draft at Pro Football Focus, the Packers drafted three safeties and only one edge defender – in the seventh round.

The mock led off with TCU receiver Quentin Johnston.

“The Packers added the freakiest athlete at wide receiver in 2022 in Christian Watson, and they do it again in this draft with Johnston,” the authors wrote.

Armed with two second-round picks, Green Bay addressed major weaknesses on the defensive line with Wisconsin’s Keeanu Benton and tight end with Iowa’s Sam LaPorta. LaPorta is an excellent route-runner with the ability to be a major run-after-catch threat.

Green Bay moved back in the third round, then went back-to-back safeties.

The only outside linebacker was Iowa State’s M.J. Anderson at No. 242 overall, a too-short (6-foot-2), too-slow (5.03 in the 40) prospect who started six games in his career and doesn’t even a write-up at PFF.

The Associated Press’ Rob Maaddi grabbed Ohio State’s prolific Smith-Njigba. He was OSU’s “best WR” even when lined up alongside Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, he wrote.

In a fantasy-focused draft, CBSSports.com’s Dan Schneier selected Smith-Njigba, who should give Love plenty of “layup” completions.

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio took a receiver who probably won’t be on Green Bay’s board because he’s too short.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff writer Scott Smith took that same receiver, Boston College’s Zay Flowers. At least Smith recognizes that Flowers doesn’t fit.

Blockers ... and One Player on Defense

Offensive line was the focus of The Athletic’s beat writers mock draft. With Matt Schneidman serving as Brian Gutekunst, he grabbed Ohio State offensive tackle Paris Johnson as a potential Year 1 starter at right guard or tight tackle and the long-term replacement for David Bakhtiari. As Schneidman wrote, Gutekunst “hopes Johnson is for Love what Bakhtiari was for Rodgers.”

Matt Lombardo of Heavy.com recognized the need to give Love some more options in the passing game but went with Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski, an “elite offensive tackle” that will help make Love’s job easier.

Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune focused on the line, too. His pick was Georgia’s Broderick Jones.

Jones was the pick in The 33rd Team’s betting-based draft. Jones, in fact, is The 33rd Team’s No. 1 overall prospect.

Detroit Lions staff writer Mike O’Hara selected Alabama safety Brian Branch. A tight end could wait until Round 2, he said.

100 Days of Mocks

Starting Jan. 17, when there were 100 days until the start of the NFL Draft, we started our mock-worthy goal of 100 mock drafts in 100 days. Here are the last 10 days of the series.

2 days: Aaron Rodgers has been traded, so 12 fresh mocks

3 days: The legit best mock draft ever

Packer Central mock drafts following Aaron Rodgers trade

4 days: Going short in ESPN seven-round mock

5 days: Two massive hauls in Rodgers trade

Packer Central’s all-visits seven-round mock

6 days: All-trades mock lands Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Packer Central’s eighth all-Packers mock

7 days: Seven mocks, three votes for Jaxon Smith-Njgiba

8 days: A wild three-team Aaron Rodgers trade among 10 mocks

9 days: Four pass catchers and Peter Schrager among 10 mocks

10 days: Breaking down seven-round mocks by Brugler, CBS

11 days: Seven-round mock and a trade