For the second time in less than a month, Notre Dame has landed a 2020 Rivals250 talent at tight end with Alexandria (Ky.) Covington Catholic product Michael Mayer announcing a pledge today to join the Irish.
The 6-foot-5, 215-pounder also held offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and others.
Notre Dame offered Mayer this past December and offensive coordinator Chip Long quickly made a strong impression on the four-star tight end. Mayer made his first trip to South Bend in January for the program’s first Junior Day.
Long and company kept pushing for Mayer during the spring making trips down to Covington Catholic to check in on him and show how much of a priority he was for the staff in 2020.
Mayer followed his January trip with another this summer to get a closer look at the Irish.
“They are obviously Tight End U and produce tight ends in the NFL while getting a good education,” Mayer said of Notre Dame recently. “If football doesn’t work out in the end, then you still have a good degree … They’re always up there year in and year out. It’s an unbelievable experience to know they want me on their team.”
The second visit to South Bend also help Mayer feel more comfortable with Long, the rest of the Irish staff and the players he met including tight ends Brock Wright and George Takacs and quarterback Ian Book.
“A big part of the decision is the people already playing at the university and seeing if they are good, quality people,” Mayer explained. “That’s what you’re going to find at Notre Dame. They are great people and well-rounded. They knew how to carry on conversations and that’s big.
“Coach Long is a pretty laid back guy. He said he thinks I would fit in well with everything. Our relationship is going to continue to keep building. He’s looking forward to the future.”
Irish quarterback commit Drew Pyne of New Canaan (Conn.) High also made an effort to lure Mayer to South Bend.
“When he committed I found out and he followed me on Twitter,” Mayer said. “I watched his film and I was kind of surprised. This guy has a cannon and he’s really good. He’s been saying that we would be a good pair together, and it would be fun playing with each other.”
Mayer is commitment No. 3 for Notre Dame in 2020 joining Pyne, who ranks No. 37 nationally, and Red Bank (N.J.) Catholic tight end Kevin Bauman, who ranks No. 104. Rivals has Mayer as the No. 6 tight end and No. 203 player overall.
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