Las Vegas Raiders: Ranking the 2023 Draft class by first-year impact
By Brad Weiss
Las Vegas Raiders: Ranking the 2023 Draft class by first-year impact
No. 1: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
One of the biggest surprises of the Raiders 2023 offseason was the team trading away Darren Waller to the New York Giants for pick No. 100 in the 2023 NFL Draft. That pick was used on Tre Tucker from Cincinnati, but 65 picks before Tucker came off the board, the Silver and Black traded up in the second round to select Notre Dame star tight end, Michael Mayer.
Mayer is a perfect fit for Josh McDaniels and this Raiders offense, and I could see him passing Austin Hooper and OJ Howard on the depth chart this summer. The Raiders offense, with Garoppolo under center, should focus a ton on the tight end position, much like Jimmy G used Rob Gronkowski and George Kittle in his previous stops.
Next. Predictions for all 17 2023 Raiders games. dark
All told, I believe Mayer will prove to be the No. 2 receiving threat behind Davante Adams this season, even as he navigates the NFL landscape as a rookie. He has the size, speed, hands, and blocking ability to be a three-down player in Year 1, and McDaniels is going to find a way to get him involved in the offense from Day 1.