Raiders' Mayer Named Under-the-Radar Breakout Star

Las Vegas Raiders rookie tight end Michael Mayer could blossom into a star this season.

The Las Vegas Raiders overhauled their entire tight end room this offseason.

After trading away star tight end Darren Waller, Coach Josh McDaniels is looking for a player to replace his production.

This is where the rookie Michael Mayer can come in, as the team traded up in the second round in the 2023 NFL Draft to select him.

Mayer is viewed as arguably the best tight end prospect in the draft class, and the Raiders surprisingly landed him on day two, as he was widely expected to be a first-round pick.

CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan recently put out a piece naming under-the-radar players for each AFC team with the potential to star in 2023, and Mayer was their choice for the Raiders.

While it takes time for tight ends to adjust to the NFL, everything is in place for Mayer to quickly establish himself in McDaniels’ offense. If a rookie tight end wants to stay on the field early in his career, he needs to be able to block, which Mayer excels at, so he should quickly find favor with McDaniels.

Mayer is one of the most well-rounded tight-end prospects in recent history, showing above-average ability in almost everything he does. He moves well for his 6-4, 265-pound frame and can be a short and intermediate field threat.

In an offense that features tight ends heavily and with a quarterback like Jimmy Garoppolo, who has had success throwing to elite tight ends like George Kittle in San Francisco and Rob Gronkowski in New England, Mayer is in a position where he can be an immediate contributor.

Mayer has a great chance to be the Raiders’ tight end of the future. He is only 21 years old and was one of Notre Dame's most accomplished tight ends.

Some of the best offenses in the NFL feature dynamic tight ends, and the Raiders offense has the potential to be that as well with a player like Michael Mayer. With an elite skill set and an offensive system that will benefit him, the Raiders rookie has a chance to be a great player early on in his career.

OTA Offseason workouts: June 12-15

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