Michael Mayer may be off to NFL, but Notre Dame tight end room ‘is not in trouble’

Michael Mayer is not an easy player to replace.

One of the best tight ends in all of college football last season — if not the best — Mayer was a threat every time he stepped on the football field. He ended the year 4th among all tight ends in receiving yardage (809) and led all FBS tight ends in touchdowns (9). No qualified pass-catcher — and, yes, that includes wideouts — had a better offensive grade from Pro Football Focus than Mayer.

And though he’s off to the NFL, hoping to be a high pick in next month’s draft, Mayer isn’t the least bit worried about the room he leaves behind in South Bend.

“They’re going to be great,” Mayer said at Friday’s Pro Day, per The South Bend Tribune’s

Mike Berardino. “Kevin Bauman’s going to be coming back from his (ACL) injury soon, one of my good buddies here. Mitch Evans, Holden (Staes). Eli (Raridon) is making a big-time recovery (from a second ACL tear in 10 months) right now.

“The tight end room is not in trouble. We’ve got plenty of tight ends in there that can play at a very, very high level.”

That group Mayer mentioned — Bauman, Evans, Staes, and Raridon — have a combined 11 career receptions. Evans has the lone touchdown, which came with 1:38 to play in Notre Dame’s 45-38 Gator Bowl win over South Carolina. Still, it’s a group with promise.

Later this summer, Notre Dame will also welcome 4-star Concord (Calif.) De La Salle tight end Cooper Flanagan to the room.

There’s plenty of talent, and a reputation to uphold.