Mike Tannenbaum fuels the Michael Mayer-New York Giants hype train

Add another well-connected NFL insider to the voices of those who have connected Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer to the New York Giants within the last 24 hours or so.

On the heels of media insiders Peter King and Albert Breer doing so Monday morning, former New York Jets GM and Miami Dolphins executive vice president Mike Tannenbaum did do during a Monday evening pre-daft media conference call.

“Even though they have Darren Waller, just given Waller’s age and his challenges he’s had from a durability standpoint I think receiver makes a ton of sense, corner makes a ton of sense, but I wouldn’t rule out someone like Mayer if he’s there as well,” Tannenbaum said

Dalton Kincaid of Utah is Tannenbaum’s top tight end in the 2023 draft class, but he believes Mayer is also a first-round player.

In addition, Tannenbaum said the Dallas Cowboys — who pick at No. 26 one spot behind the Giants — could be targeting Mayer.

Tannenbaum said Dallas “desperately needs a tight end to replace Dalton Schultz ... they would love Mayer or Kincaid. I don’t know if either one of them would make it that far. I think the Giants and the Cowboys could be competing for Mayer.”

Here are a couple of other takeaways from Tannenbaum.

On under-sized wide receivers ...

Tannenbaum admits the perspective has “changed over the years.”

“Jordan Addison, Smith-Njigba, they’re not bigger guys but they’re great run after catch guys. Candidly, those players are playing in the league now ... I see so much free release for all these under-sized guys that that really surprises me. They’re playing at the high levels in college and that’s translating.

Tannenbaum had this to say about Zay Flowers, another of those smaller wide receivers:

“He’s probably going to go on Thursday night and I think he’s going to have a productive career but a lot of it is going to be pre-snap movement, get him in stacks and bunches, get him in the slot so they can get more free access into their routes.”

On how the Giants can close the talent gap with the Philadelphia Eagles ...

“They need more explosive firepower. I’m assuming Saquon’s going to be there, but they need multiple difference-makers on the outside. Waller is a good start, but they need a lot more than that.”