Raiders 2nd Rd. Pick TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
HENDERSON, Nev.--The Las Vegas Raiders are coming off the 2023 NFL Draft with an exceptional haul of young players to help the Silver and Black on their road back to success.
One of those players is tight end Michael Mayer, who they selected in the second round out of Notre Dame. You can watch his press conference below and read the transcript:
Las Vegas Raiders second-round pick (No. 35 overall) – Tight End Michael Mayer
Q: I know you played here last year in the game against BYU. What do you remember from that game and just being out here at Allegiant Stadium? Did you ever think then that this could be your professional home?
Mayer: "Well, I think the first thing that I kind of realized is how immaculate that stadium is. Being able to play home games there is going to be a very, very fun thing to do. The city, the fans, the vibes surrounding the city, it was fantastic. I got a little bit of taste of it, like you said, against BYU, so I'm happy I played there. And I'm happy to make it my new home, that's for sure."
Q: Obviously, you're coming into a situation where another star tight end left, and now you're coming in where you get to have O.J. Howard and Austin Hooper around you. How beneficial is going to be able to come into a tight end room with proven veteran guys that you can kind of learn from?
Mayer: "Yeah, I think I'm going to come in and I'm just going to try to absorb as much information as I can. Those guys, they’ve played a lot of football, that's for sure. And so, I'm going to come in and I'm going to learn a lot from them. We're going to complement each other well and we're going to have fun doing it. And we're going to win ball games and it's going to be fun. I'm excited to play with them. Those are two really good players. It's going to be really fun."
Q: You have incredibly soft hands as a receiver but you're brutal as a blocker; very few guys have that combination. They're either pass catchers or blockers. Can you talk about your versatility and your ability to be on the field all four downs?
Mayer: "Yes sir, that's something I take pride in and that's something in this past year I really, really worked in the blocking game, and the technique, and my footsteps, and things like that. The receiving part of it has always kind of been there for me, but I really had to kind of dig deep for that blocking and it's been really, really well this past season. Me and my tight ends coach worked on it a lot, and it improved greatly. It's only going to keep getting better. So, that's something I pride myself on a lot and I think being able to do both of those things that you named out there is very, very important for a tight end. And I'm going to keep working at both of them and keep trying to excel at both of them."
Q: You mentioned about the game that you played out here against BYU. After that game, you were called the hardest working guy in the room and you wanted to hear what you do wrong so you can continue to work on it. What are the things you want to address immediately when you get to the Raiders facility?
Mayer: "In terms of my football game, I think it's just work hard at every aspect of what I do. A little bit of my blocking, a little bit of my receiving, a little bit in my leadership. I'm just going to try to come in and play my best ball. That's what they drafted me to do. That's why I play football. That's what I'm here to do. So, I'm ready to fly in and start working, start understanding the offense, the installs, things like that. And it's about coming in and playing my best ball, helping this team win ballgames."
Q: The last time the Raiders drafted a tight end from Notre Dame, he went on to a pretty decent career and went in the Hall of Fame, Dave Casper. What do you know about this organization as a whole -- just the reputation of the Raiders, but also, how does your skill set fit into what this current organization's coach does with Josh McDaniels' offense?
Mayer: "I think the first thing is the tradition with the Las Vegas Raiders. I mean, they've had so many, so many good tight ends. There's no doubt about that. They know how to use tight ends and Coach McDaniels knows how to use tight ends, and he loves tight ends. And so, I think I'm going to fit very well into the offense. I think it goes back to kind of what I was saying before; it's coming in, it's doing what they're asking me to do, and not doing anything more. Because it's about winning football games and that's kind of what they drafted me to do. And so, I'm going to come in, do what they ask me to do, work my hardest, and that's really it. That's what I do. That's kind of what I did when I went to Notre Dame, that's what I'm going to do when we start this up. So, it's about coming in, working hard, absorbing as much information as I can, learning from everybody, and just do what they ask me to do."
Q: Take us through this process of just going through the pre-draft process and sitting around and watching how the first round unfolds, and then seeing your phone ring on Day Two. What was all that like for you?
Mayer: "Yes, it was awesome. I'll tell you what, this process has been awesome because I've got really good family and friends who have been by my side through this whole thing. Obviously, we didn't really know what was going to happen yesterday and I'm happy where I landed. I'm happy to be here. I'm really, really excited to kind of get started and start playing some football again. It's been a great experience. I've kind of absorbed everything I've needed to. You get a million texts, you know, enjoy the moment, enjoy the day, all that stuff. And that's kind of what I've been doing. I play football. I love football and, obviously, it's taken me places that I never thought it would. And so, at this point, it's about enjoying it. It's about working as hard as I can, meeting as many people as I can and just being a part of the process. This is a process, and I realized that it's going to be a process, so I'm just trying to enjoy the process as much as possible."
Q: Considering the Raiders traded Darren Waller, did you kind of have your eyes on this organization? And the fact that they traded up for you, what did that tell you as far as they're interest in you?
Mayer: "I think as far as the tradition the organization has had, I've had my eyes on them. It just goes back to kind of what I've been saying before, whoever is going to draft me, they're going to get a hard worker, they're going get somebody who is going to come in and learn as much as possible and kind of do what they need me to do and do what they ask of me. So, it's about coming in and keeping the tight end tradition that they have and winning as many football games as we can. That's what this is about, that's why they drafted me, and I'm excited. I'm really, really excited to be part of this organization, a very, very good organization."
Q: A lot of pre-draft stuff had you as a first-round pick. Even one I saw had you as the best tight end in this draft. I guess my question is, is that what you expected? Were you expecting that you would go on the first round? Do you see yourself as the best tight end of this draft? And how do you approach that? Obviously the Raiders were surprised to see you there, so they traded up to get you. Are you a 'chip on your shoulder' type of guy or is it you're set out to prove that you are the best tight end in this draft?
Mayer: "I'll tell you exactly how I approached it. Starting Jan. 2, kind of when this whole thing started, I said I don't want to have any regrets. I'm going to do everything I need to do and that's sort of what I did. I felt like I had a good combine. I felt like I had a good pro day. So, a couple of weeks ago I'd been sitting with my parents, sitting with my agent and it was kind of like, 'You did everything you needed to do, you controlled the control-ables. So at this point, you need to relax, enjoy it and whoever takes you, takes you. There's nothing else you can do.' That was kind of my mindset going in. It was, 'You did everything you needed to do, you felt like you had a good combine, had good meetings and a good pro day.' It's awesome that I ended up in this organization's lap. I'm very excited for it, and I'm very happy for it."
Q: "You have a basketball background, and as you know basketball is all about spacing. How much has that helped mold your game in being a good inline blocker but then also finding those soft spots between the 20s?
Mayer: "I really do. I think it's helped a bunch. I really do. I played basketball up to my junior year of high school, and my quick feet, being able to kind of get open, being able to kind of push off guys and be able to post up on the block and things like that, that helps out tremendously. I would say it helped out with my physicality, too. I pride myself on being physical out there, there's no doubt about it. I like to put people in the dirt, and I like to run over people. So, it's helped for sure, but at this point I haven't thought about basketball in a while. This is all football now. Football is my life now. I'm working on football now and just trying to get better football every day."
Q: When you look at the system that Josh McDaniels has run throughout all his Super Bowls, he had tight ends like Gronk and others, and you see how they use the tight end. With a guy with your skills, could there be a better system for you than what's in Vegas?
Mayer: “You know, that's not a question for me to answer to be honest with you. I think it's about me coming in and doing the best in what I do, which is playing football, and wherever coach McDaniels puts me, I'm going to be ready for it. I'm going to do what he asks me to do, whether it be on first, second or third down. And that's my answer to that. I'm excited to be in this kind of scheme. I'm excited to have one of the best coaches in the NFL, and yeah, that's that. I'm excited to play ball.”
Q: Going through the draft process, what interactions did you have with the Raiders? Was it something that was kind of more extensive in your meetings with them? Are you surprised to have gotten drafted by the Raiders or how did things shake up?
Mayer: “Yeah, I had a few meetings with them, actually. And they were very good meetings, I was really glad. I actually met some coaches, the tight ends coach, and it was good. It went very well. I wasn't surprised at all. I'm really, really glad they got me, and I'm excited. I'm excited to be a Raiders. There's no doubt about it. I'm excited to be a Raider and I’m ready to get this thing started.”
Q: The Raiders traded up to get you; how does that make you feel that they targeted you and said that we're going to go get him?
Mayer: “It's a blessing, man. It really is. It's a blessing. I just told my family a second ago, I said it's time to get to work now. It's been a long week. It's time to get to work. It's time to start playing some ball and meet my teammates. You know, start making friendships, start making relationships and focus on the goal.”
Q: Had you ever been to Las Vegas prior to the Shamrock series game? And what are you looking forward to most off the football field once you get here in terms of seeing Las Vegas?
Mayer: “I think the first thing is, I don't know if you guys saw it, but we did have a little video to that Shamrock Series game when we went out to Vegas and made that with like the Bentley car and I was with Coach [Marcus] Freeman and we're doing all that. So, that was actually my first time in Vegas. That was my first experience trying to be an actor and that was cool. That was the first time I got to see the city, drive around. I was with Coach Freeman and a couple of my teammates, which was really, really fun. And I'm sorry, what was the second part of the question?”
Q: Just what you're looking forward to most now becoming a resident in Las Vegas, away from the facility obviously? What are you looking forward to most?
Mayer: “I'm looking forward to the fans. Some of the greatest fans pretty much in America is what I believe, and I'm a football guy. I've always been a football guy, so it's always kind of been football and then get home go to bed and then think football again. So, I know you guys got a great fan base. I'm really, really excited to be part of it. I'm excited to be part of one of the greatest fan bases in the NFL and just start working, start playing some football.”
Here is a complete list of every 2023 Raiders draft pick and links to more information about them:
Round 1 No. 7 overall pick: Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas Tech
Round 2 No. 35 overall pick: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
Round 3 No. 70 overall: Byron Young, DT, Alabama
Round 3 No. 100 overall: Tre Tucker, WR, Cincinnati
Round 4 No. 104 overall: Jakorian Bennett, CB, Maryland
Round 4 No. 135 overall: Aidan O'Connell, QB, Purdue
Round 5 No. 170 overall: Christopher Smith II, S, Georgia
Round 6 No. 203 overall: Amari Burney, LB, Florida
Round 7 No. 231 overall: Nesta Jade Silvera, DT, Arizona State
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