Notre Dame football: Irish all over projected award winner list for 2022

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Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end Michael Mayer (87) jumps over Florida State Seminoles defensive back Jammie Robinson (10). The Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeat the Florida State Seminoles 41-38 at Doak Campbell Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021.Fsu V Notre Dame1988 /

Notre Dame football: Irish all over projected Award winner list for 2022

What they got wrong

Last season, Michael Mayer was one of the better tight ends in the country, and for some time, you would be hard-pressed to find someone even close to his production. However, he was shut out of the Mackey Award and was not even listed as a finalist, which is where Backus has him going into the 2022 campaign.

The truth is, Mayer is the best tight end in the country, and when all is said and done, he could be picked as high as Kyle Pitts was a few years back. He has everything you look for in a player at the position group, and with a first-year quarterback at the helm, you can be sure that he is going to be a security blanket for either Drew Pyne or Tyler Buchner.

PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 09: A Notre Dame Fighting Irish helmet against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the game on November 9, 2013 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

Notre Dame football: What 2023 WR Jaden Greathouse brings to the Irish

It has been a tremendous run for Marcus Freeman as head coach of the Notre Dame football program, and on Friday, he landed another huge recruit.

The Notre Dame football team is going to be an exciting one to watch this upcoming season, and they could end up being a real contender to make the College Football Playoff. To do so, they have to get major production from the players listed in this article, while also shutting down Backus’s Heisman favorite, CJ Stroud in Week 1.

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