The San Francisco 49ers did not get into the action in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft. In fact, the defending NFC West champions are not expected to make their first picks until No. 99 overall at the end of Round 3.
There is a reason for this. General manager John Lynch and Co. exhausted a huge capital to move up for quarterback Trey Lance in the 2021 NFL Draft. San Francisco then sent multiple picks to the Carolina Panthers for star running back Christian McCaffrey during the 2022 season.
In hindsight, we can question the Lance trade all we want. The young signal caller is actually on the trade block. With that said, the acquisition of McCaffrey was absolutely a home run.
San Francisco still has 10 picks remaining in the 2023 NFL Draft. With a loaded roster, it’s unlikely the team will be selecting that many players.
Instead, the 49ers should target certain players in potential trade-up scenarios. We’re here to say that one player, former Notre Dame star tight end Michael Mayer, should be that target.
A projected first-round pick heading into the draft, Mayer is still on the board heading into Day 2 on Friday. He was considered the consensus No. 1 tight end in what is seen as one of the best drafts at that position in modern NFL Draft history. Mayer is coming off a record-breaking campaign for the Irish and should be considered a future Pro Bowler.
Here’s why San Francisco should make a bold move up for Mayer once Round 2 gets going later on Friday in Kansas City.
Related: Top NFL Draft prospects remaining on Day 2
San Francisco 49ers linked to tight ends more than any other team
San Francisco met with a whopping 11 tight ends prior to the 2023 NFL Draft. Reports have since indicated that the team has been doing more homework on this position than any other in the league.
While Michael Mayer was not one of those visits, there’s a simple explanation for this. As noted above, the 49ers are not slated to make their first pick until the end of Round 3. Mayer was expected to be long gone at that point.
San Francisco is not looking to replace All-Pro tight end George Kittle. Rather, the team wants to find another pass-catcher at this position that can help out behind him and work in two tight end sets. Last season saw backup 49ers tight ends tally a combined seven catches. That’s just not going to cut it.
Related: 2023 NFL mock draft, Day 2 edition
Michael Mayer as a fit for the San Francisco 49ers
It’s simple. Just check out this scouting report of the former Notre Dame standout from NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein:
“Big combination tight end with the demeanor for run blocking and the size for tough, chain-moving catches underneath. Mayer will come into the league with better blocking technique than most tight ends in this year’s draft.
He’s built for in-line duty and was an extension of the Notre Dame offensive line at times. His feet are a little heavy getting into and through his routes, but he has the hand strength and contact balance to win heavily contested catches on the first two levels.”
Michael Mayer scouting report
A blocking tight end who can move the sticks and acts as an extension of the offensive line. That’s almost a carbon copy of what Kittle has done during his brilliant career in Northern California.
At 6-foot-5 and with strong hands, Mayer will be able to come in immediately while having a huge impact in the run game. In two tight end sets, he would create major mismatches with Kittle on the field. That’s especially true given San Francisco’s elite skill-position talent in McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.
Related: San Francisco 49ers 2023 NFL mock draft
The cost of acquiring Michael Mayer in a trade
This is where it gets tricky. Mayer is among the best players remaining on the board heading into Round 2. Should he go within the top half of the second round, it would be a darn expensive proposition for the 49ers. This includes yielding two third-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft and potentially their second-round selection next year.
A drop down further in the second round would make this more manageable. Either way, the cost is not going to be cheap.
The good news? San Francisco is expected to receive a few third-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft under the NFL’s minority hiring program and Rooney Rule. This makes it easier for the San Francisco 49ers to part with a second-round pick in next year’s NFL Draft to find an absolutely perfect fit.