Notre Dame football: Can Michael Mayer catch 100 balls in 2022?
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football team has the best tight end in the country in 2022, and he could be the second Irish player to haul in 100 catches in a season.
The 2022 Notre Dame football team is loaded with star power, and if you look on both sides of the ball, you see multiple players who could be selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. This past offseason, many players decided to forgo the NFL Draft to return to South Bend, but one player who did not have to make that decision was tight end, Michael Mayer.
Playing as only a true sophomore last season, Mayer had to come back to the Irish for at least one more season based on how the rules are set up, and he could be in for a magical season. The truth is, this is most likely his final season in South Bend, as he is going to be a top-10 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, so an explosive last campaign is likely on the horizon.
Over the past two years, we have seen Mayer blossom into a superstar, and one of the best tight ends in program history, but could he be a record-setting player in 2022. One thing is for sure, a triple-digit catch season could be on deck.
Notre Dame football star tight end in for a 100-catch season?
In the history of this storied Notre Dame football program, only one player has hauled in 100 catches in a single season. That player is Michael Floyd, who accomplished this incredible feat back in 2011. Two years prior, Golden Tate had a shot at it, finishing with 93 catches, but they are the only players who have even had 80 catches in a season.
For Mayer, the 2021 season was a bit of a breakout campaign for him, even though he flashed signs of stardom as a true freshman in 2020. Last season, Mayer hauled in 71 catches for nearly 850 yards and seven touchdowns, the eighth-highest single-season catch total in program history.
In 2022, can he go for 100?
There is still a question as to who will play quarterback for the Irish in 2022, and the wide receiver group has talent but is very thin in terms of numbers. That means whoever is under center is going to lean on Mayer in a big way, and much like in 2011, being the No. 1 option should give Mayer enough targets to get to the coveted 100-catch mark.
The goal in 2022 is to make the College FOotball Playoff and battle for a national title, but a 100-catch season from Mayer would be great to see as well. Based on this year’s offense, I believe he has a chance to do it.