Playing for the team you grew up rooting for is a dream only a few can say they've achieved in the NFL.

For Michael Mayer, that dream can very much become a reality next month.

Arguably the top tight end in this year's NFL Draft, Mayer fits with a lot of teams in the first round. The Cincinnati Bengals might be the perfect landing spot for him.

In Pro Football Focus' latest mock draft, Cincinnati was slotted the Notre Dame pass-catcher with the 28th overall pick. 

It's an easy pick to make, but the logic is undeniable.

“Michael Mayer is the hometown pick here. This is a dream scenario for the Bengals. What he brings to the table is perfect.” — PFF's Mike Renner

The Bengals are in need of new tight ends. Hayden Hurst is a free agent, as are Mitchell Wilcox and Drew Sample. Hurst is a clear candidate to be re-signed in the coming days, but he's also turning 30 years old this year. Cincinnati should look to add youth at the position even if Hurst returns on a modest deal.

10 years ago, the Bengals drafted another Notre Dame tight end late in the first round by the name of Tyler Eifert. All of the qualities Eifert had, Mayer has them and more. 

Mayer combines the refinement of an in-line blocking tight end with the craftiness of a reliable receiver down the field. His release packages and route-running ability made him the primary target for the Fighting Irish's offense over the last two years. 

Nearly 26% of ND's passing yardage since 2021 ended up in the hands of Mayer. In 2022 alone, that percentage was 30%. That's a ridiculous market share figure for a collegiate tight end. 

At the NFL Scouting Combine, Mayer checked enough boxes at 6'5" and 249 pounds (he likely cut down and will play north of 250). He ran a 4.70 40-yard dash, and put together solid results in the vertical and broad jump. His testing results compared very favorably to that of Pro Bowler Mark Andrews.

The cherry on top of it all is that Mayer grew up in Independence, KY, just a few miles south of Cincinnati across the Ohio River. At the combine, Mayer spoke on what it would mean to play for his hometown team.

"It would be awesome," Mayer said in Indianapolis. "Joe Burrow throwing me that ball? Obviously I'm trying to win ball games and win a Super Bowl. … Growing up 15 minutes from Who Dey Stadium, it would be awesome, there's no doubt about that." 

The Bengals also met with Mayer at the combine as well. 

Plenty of dominoes will fall between now and the Draft, but if Mayer is still on the board with the Bengals on the clock, he's surely one of the favorites to be selected.