The Green Bay Packers NFL draft this year is (probably) the first of the Jordan Love Era. That means there is more pressure now than in most drafts to make picks to help the team’s quarterback succeed. With that in mind, here are the three reasons Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer would be perfect fit for the team in the 2023 NFL Draft.

3. Michael Mayer is the best all-around tight end in the 2023 NFL Draft

Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer is a 6-foot-4 ½, 249-pound pass-catcher and blocker who is tailor-made for the NFL game.

In three seasons with the Fighting Irish, the Kentucky native put up 180 catches for 2,099 yards with 18 touchdowns. When Mayer left South Bend, he walked away as the school’s leading TE in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns.

At the NFL combine, Mayer ran a 4.7-second 40-yard dash, which means he’s not outrunning most NFL linebackers and safeties. However, Mayer has great hands, and he was an elite basketball player in high school, so he knows how to go get the ball.

Mayer is also one of the best blocking tight ends in the 2023 NFL Draft. His strength, technique, and willingness to mix it up with defenders is what truly separates him from the rest of the class.

While there are plenty of TEs in this draft who are basically big, tall wide receivers, Mayer is a throwback tight end who has more Jason Witten to his game than Travis Kelce, but that is exactly what the Packers need to help Jordan Love thrive.

2. Mayer helps Jordan Love in the running game and the passing game

Speaking of Jordan Love, this Packers draft needs to be all about helping him succeed. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst and president Mark Murphy have painted themselves into a corner by drafting the young QB in the first place and then ultimately pushing Aaron Rodgers out the door.

If Love doesn’t succeed, Gutekunst and Murphy may not be far behind Rodgers.

For any young QB to have early success, two things help out more than anything: A strong running game and a safety blanket pass-catcher. Michael Mayer helps on both fronts.

As mentioned above, Mayer isn’t beating defenders down the seam to catch a 50-yard bomb. He’s an underneath chain-mover and an outlet when nothing is happening downfield. In the early years of Love’s career as a starter, that will be invaluable.

So will the run blocking Mayer provides.

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The Packers were in the middle of the league in rushing yards last season, ranking 15th. They need that number to go up this year to help Love. The team already has two solid running backs in place with Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon, and a strong offensive line that should benefit from left tackle David Bakhtiari finally being back and healthy in 2023.

Mayer on the end of the line will be like having another tackle on the field at times. And with his size and skillset, he can also be a move tight end who goes in motion to pull or even lines up in the backfield as a fullback at times.

Another player often assigned to the Packers draft class in some mocks is Utah TE Dalton Kincaid. And while he may be more of a downfield weapon, Mayer is the much more well-rounded player, which makes him a better fit for what Jordan Love and the Packers need this offseason.

1. There aren’t any great wide receivers for the Packers to draft

Now, while helping in the running game is huge for the Packers, would they probably rather get an elite WR like Justin Jefferson at pick No. 15 in the 2023 NFL Draft?

Sure!

The thing is, there is no (obvious) Justin Jefferson or Ja’Marr Chase, or even Garrett Wilson in this year’s class. And with a new QB for the first time in nearly two decades, the Packers can’t mess around with players like the possibly-injury-prone Jaxson Smith-Njigba, the boom-or-bust Quentin Johnston, or the maybe touch-too-small Zay Flowers.

Nope. The Green Bay Packers draft needs a sure thing, and Michael Mayer is as close to a sure thing as there is in this 2023 NFL Draft.

Barring something unforeseen, he should be able to easily give the Packers as least as much, and probably more, than they’ve gotten from the tight ends who have played with Aaron Rodgers through the years.

And at best, the Packers may be getting a player like the aforementioned Jason Witten or the similarly-basketball-skilled Antonio Gates.