Draft Fact or Fiction: Will Anderson Sliding, Bijan Robinson to PHI, Michael Mayer Out of Round 1

In today’s Fact or Fiction — NFL Draft edition — I look at three big recent topics around the NFL Draft and decide whether the statement is indeed FACT or if it’s FICTION.

1. Will Anderson Jr. slides past No. 5.

Farrell’s take: FICTION

I’m not seeing this happen, but some do, as a run of QBs at the top could leave the Seattle Seahawks with a great choice of elite defensive players at No. 5. Carolina and Indianapolis will surely take QBs, and Houston should as well but could trade back as Arizona is expected to do as well. What if Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, Anthony Richardson, and Will Levis all go 1-4? Seattle could go DT with Jalen Carter from Georgia or even EDGE with Tyree Wilson from Texas Tech. But I still don’t see the Alabama star slipping past five.

Nov 12, 2022; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. (31) pressures Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

2. Bijan Robinson goes to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Farrell’s take: FICTION

I’ve seen this a few times. And the Eagles need a running back, but they have other needs at No. 10, and I think they go DT or OT over running back where they could find value in round two as they’ve done in the past. I think they pounce on Jalen Carter if he slips or go with Peter Skoronski from Northwestern or Paris Johnson from Ohio State. I see Robinson landing with Dallas, Buffalo, or the LA Chargers later in the round.

Mar 5, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas running back Bijan Robinson (RB21) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium.

3. TE Michael Mayer falls out of round one.

Farrell’s take: FICTION

The Notre Dame tight end is slipping as Dalton Kincaid from Utah is the clear No. 1 TE and Darnell Washington from Georgia has many intrigued, but I don’t see a way Mayer slides out of round one. Detroit, Jacksonville, Dallas, and the NY Giants could be landing spots, and keep an eye on Cincinnati as well.