With most of Week 5 in the books, we bring you a way-too-early look at the current order for the 2021 NFL draft. For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2020 standings, plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. After that, the same goes for the six clubs eliminated from each round of the postseason, with the final two picks determined by the outcome of the Super Bowl.
Here’s where things stand in the race to the bottom:
- New York Giants (0-5)
- Atlanta Falcons (0-5)
- New York Jets (0-5)
- Washington Football Team (1-4)
- Minnesota Vikings (1-4)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4)
- Miami Dolphins (via Houston Texans, 1-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (1-3)
- Detroit Lions (1-3)
- Denver Broncos (1-3)
- Philadelphia Eagles (1-3-1)
- Cincinnati Bengals (1-3-1)
- Miami Dolphins (2-3)
- San Francisco 49ers (2-3)
- New Orleans Saints (2-2)
- New England Patriots (2-2)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-2)
- Indianapolis Colts (3-2)
- Dallas Cowboys (2-3)
- Carolina Panthers (3-2)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
- Las Vegas Raiders (3-2)
- Kansas City Chiefs (4-1)
- Cleveland Browns (4-1)
- Chicago Bears (4-1)
- Baltimore Ravens (4-1)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (via Los Angeles Rams, 4-1)
- Tennessee Titans (3-0)
- Green Bay Packers (4-0)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (4-0)
- Buffalo Bills (4-0)
- New York Jets (via Seattle Seahawks, 4-0)
How does Dallas wind up wedged between teams with a 3-2 record currently? Not being a smarty, just wondering if there’s some weird rule or something…
yeah seems like they have 13,14 or 15
Division leader
Because the teams below Dallas wouldn’t make the playoffs. Dallas currently would make the playoffs at 2-3(leading nfc East). Honestly I don’t understand why after 4-5 games. They even worry about posting draft order. It’s going to change 100 times between now and end of season.
If you consider each weekend, it will really only change about 12 or 13 more times but es I agree with your overall point. Gotta talk about/type something.
Ranking teams for the Draft at this point is pointless. Maybe a bottom 10 makes sense.
Hubcap, I assume because Cowboys would currently win NFC Least and make playoffs. That affects draft position.
Thank you everybody!! I had forgotten about the division leader thing. Still trying to wrap my mind around a 2-3 division leader…
I appreciate all the info!
With your user name, there is no need for an apology. It’s one of the few songs I can listen to a million times and never get tired of.
It’s just another poor article by Zach Links. I don’t know if he has a quota to fill or what, but he seems to put out poor content or articles with errors too often.
Rule change that happened few years ago.
Chargers won the division at 8-8 one year and had the #16 overall pick they wasted on Larry English.
Ever since then playoff teams are ranked based on elimination and record I believe.
It’d be interesting if Atlanta could somehow end up in a position to draft Lawrence. They might be able to turn it around pretty quickly with a few other well-executed moves.
Would they draft Lawrence? I think among the bad teams, Atlanta is the only one who is really ‘set’ at QB. I don’t follow Atlanta that much, but Matt Ryan seems like one of the least of their problems. I imagine they’d try to trade down as they have plenty of other holes to fill.
I don’t think he’s the problem there, but next season he’ll be going into his age 36 season. I’m just thinking can they retool the roster fast enough around him, or do you take the young QB while you can?
GIANTS WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wow after how bad this season has been my Eagles would still only be tied for the 11th overall pick with the Bengals God that win against the 49ers killed us. now with Prescott out the rest of the season for the cowboys the Eagles could literally win their division with a 691 record it seems like right this minute absolutely ridiculous
My buddy and I were speculating about whether 6-10 would be good enough to win the division, but he mentioned the Eagles tie game. We agreed that 6-9-1 might historically be “enough.”
Cowboys will still win the division. People forget Dalton is a god QB. Cowboys defensive starters are starting to trickle back in. The whole Off line is back-ups (besides Martin ) but their offense isn’t the problem.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Dalton ends up with better numbers than Wentz but eh end of the year. Wentz is statistically one of the worst QBs in the league.
I think the Jets have a leg up on the competition. Atlanta has been in games and have just collapsed in some. Sometimes with a big shakeup like firing the coach, teams respond and rip off a few wins.
The Giants and Washington both have the disadvantage of playing against each other, someone’s got to win (or tie) those games. Plus, the Eagles and Cowboys are beatable.
Houston has talent, as do the Vikings. Maybe the Lions, Broncos, or Jags are the Jets’ biggest competition.
Jets look like they may go 0-16. Bad roster, bad coaching, bad management, and their division is tough.
If the Giants had won yesterday they would actually have been in good shape for the division at 1-4.
I get it’s a slow day and all, but it’s a little premature for this, don’t you think?
“Relax, kid. There are 161 games to go.”
Head to head (when applicable) has always been the first tie breaker. I haven’t heard anything about strength of schedule being given the higher priority
Let’s check in on this in 7-8 weeks. I hate to say it, but it’s looking like my 49ers are going to be a lot higher than 14th by then. This opinion is all based on strength of schedule alone.
Giants should look to trade the No.1 overall if they do indeed get it. Their issues go way higher than just a QB here…
Every team drafting in the top 5 has issues that go way higher than just a QB. Daniel Jones is learning and getting more comfortable with the pro game but he’s going to have to get his turnovers under control.
My Raiders either need one more win to get into the elite, or one more loss to tie Miami in the draft pick. It’ll be painful be #22 AND miss the playoffs.