Two weeks remain in the regular season, and while a number of teams are jockeying for playoff spots several others are still in contention to land a coveted draft slot. It remains to be seen where the No. 1 selection will wind up.
The Giants and Raiders entered Sunday’s action with two wins apiece, and New York’s loss kept the team strongly in contention to kick off the draft in April. By virtue of winning against the Jaguars, though, the Raiders hurt their chances of finding themselves in that position. A top-two spot (or thereabouts) may be required to draft either of this year’s top passers, but a small move up the order positioning Vegas to add one could still be on the table.
Five teams currently sit a 3-12, and a head-to-head matchup between the Titans and Jaguars on Sunday will be key in deciding where each of them wind up. Another three squads own a 4-11 record, so plenty of potential exists in terms of changes being made to the order at the top of the board. Numerous expected suitors for a Day 1 quarterback (including teams like the Browns and Jets) may very well find themselves out of reach for Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders without a trade-up being necessary. The Panthers’ starting situation with Bryce Young is certainly not settled for 2025, but adding a passer on Day 1 would come as a surprise at this point.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is an updated look at the current draft order:
- New York Giants (2-13)
- New England Patriots (3-12)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12)
- Tennessee Titans (3-12)
- Cleveland Browns (3-12)
- Las Vegas Raiders (3-12)
- Carolina Panthers (4-11)
- New York Jets (4-11)
- Chicago Bears (4-11)
- New Orleans Saints (5-10)
- San Francisco 49ers (6-9)
- Miami Dolphins (7-8)
- Indianapolis Colts (7-8)
- Cincinnati Bengals (7-8)
- Dallas Cowboys (7-8)
- Arizona Cardinals (7-8)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)
- Seattle Seahawks (8-7)
- Atlanta Falcons (8-7)
- Los Angeles Chargers (9-6)
- Houston Texans (9-6)
- Denver Broncos (9-6)
- Los Angeles Rams (9-6)
- Washington Commanders (10-5)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)
- Baltimore Ravens (10-5)
- Green Bay Packers (11-4)
- Philadelphia Eagles (12-3)
- Buffalo Bills (12-3)
- Minnesota Vikings (13-2)
- Detroit Lions (13-2)
- Kansas City Chiefs (14-1)
Incredible that there are nine teams with fewer than five wins at this point in the season.
Half the league is under .500! There’s just aren’t 32 QBs that we would consider to starting caliber on this planet. There never has been and prob never will be. I think that’s the leagues main issue, simple as that.
I honestly think the league’s difficulty in developing offensive line talent is an even bigger issue right now. And the disparity between the haves and have nots in offensive coaching is huge. A year ago, I would not have put Darnold among the QB haves.
Half the league above and below .500 illustrates a typical season. What is not typical is to have so many teams well above .500 and many more equally under .500.
Looks like Travis Hunter is heading to New England
As a Pats fan, I hope not. He won’t play both sides of the ball in the NFL, so he’s going to be grossly overdrafted.
Play hunter at WR. He’s going to be great there. Could play him on D from time to time. Maybe on potential Hail Marys or late game drives bring him in as a nickel corner. Hunter will be a stud in the NFL at either position but I see him more as a WR. He’s got more value there.
Is Hunter a better WR than McMillan? I don’t watch college football, but I’ve heard he’s not.
That’s a great question. I think both are different. I really like McMillian. Kinda reminds me of Mike Evans. McMillian isn’t as explosive as Hunter But I like McMillians big frame. I remember Hunter shutting down McMillian when the played each other. I don’t think you could go wrong with either one as your pick. Most would say pick Hunter first but McMillian may be the better one (as a WR) when it’s all said and done. That big gram and catch radius is hard to pass up. McMillian that is.
I’d much rather my Pats trade down a few spots.
Mason Graham seems like the safest pick in the draft, probably best d tackle to come out since Aaron Donald
A list of the best player drafted by each team in it’s current draft spot:
1. Giants – Tucker Frederickson 1965
3. Jaguars – Blake Bortles 2014
5. Browns – Mack Mitchell 1975
6. Raiders – Tim Brown 1988 HOF
7. Panthers – Derrick Brown 2020
8. Jets – James Farrier 1997
9. Bears – Brian Urlacher 2000 HOF
10. Saints – Ken Burrough 1970
11. 49ers – Leo Nomellini 1950 HOF
12. Dolphins – Marco Coleman 1992
14. Bengals – Glenn Cameron 1975
16. Cardinals – Luis Sharpe 1982
17. Buccaneers – Doug Williams 1978
18. Seahawks – Tony Woods 1987
19. Falcons – Sean Witherspoon 2010
20. Chargers – Gary Anderson 1983
21. Texans – Will Fuller 2016
22. Broncos – Demaryious Thomas 2010
23. Rams – Bob Brudzinski 1977
24. Commanders – John Paluck 1956
25. Steelers – Santonio Holmes 2006
26. Ravens – Ray Lewis 1996 HOF
27. Packers – Jon Morris 1964
28. Eagles – Guy Morriss 1973
29. Bills – Joe Cribbs 1980
30. Vikings – Issiac Holt 1985
31. Lions – Lloyd Wickett 1943
32. Chiefs – Frank Pitts 1965
Some teams have not drafted in their current draft spot previously.
I was listening to ny sports radio and they mentioned that in the 1965 draft in which the giants selected Tucker fredrickson, the bears took gale sayers and dick Butkus with picks 3 and 4 and there was one other future HOF taken shortly after the giants . So the giants being bad at talent evaluation is nothing new to this franchise.
Joe Namath and Fred Biletnikoff opted for the AFL when drafted in 1965 and both became HOFers.
I like the idea of doing this!
Begals beat Dallas head to head and have equal records but Bengals pick before Dallas.
Seems legit
The draft order goes by strength of schedule not head to head.
If the Bears stay in that 8-12 pick range they should take Ashton Jeanty. I know they need to overhaul the O-line but there really aren’t any great o-line prospects in this class so drafting Jeanty and using free agency and mid round picks to build the line would be huge to make that offense both explosive and balanced.
That would actually be fun to watch!
This years draft class is LOADED at RB. Someone will take Ashton in the 1st but you’ll find great backs day 2 and day 3.
Taking Jeanty doesn’t mean much if you don’t improve the oline.
If they spend money and bring in a better coach with better scheme then I’d take Jeanty
But if they have a chance at one of the LTs bears should take the franchise qb protector and take a rb later on. Possibly Etiennes brother.
If they stay in that 6 to 9 range they’re going to end up getting Campbell or banks
There isn’t a single spot on the Bears OL that I think is a mortal lock to stay there next year and start. Wright’s closest because he’s only in his second year, but he’s regressed this season.
I mean, I hope players like Ronnie Stanley, Trey Smith and Ryan Kelly make it to FA. It’s debatable how many of them will, with Smith being least likely of the three. Even then, the Bears would have to outbid several other likely suitors. Best case scenario, they maybe fill two of those holes with quality talent in FA plus add some depth and resign some depth. If that happens, I’d still hope they’d go OL early, as much as I’d prefer Jeanty to Swift.
Vikings only 2 losses……
It seems like they’ve trailed in lots of games in the 4th Q though.
Are the tie breakers different for the draft order from the waiver wire? The Texans claimed Diontae Johnson and got him over a claim by the Chargers.
Teams with the same record , the better draft pick will go to the team with the lower strength of schedule
The Giants with the #1 overall pick with force a pick and choose a QB. Problem is these QB’s if they came out last year are rated to have been the 5th or 6th in the class. Hardly worth the #1 overall pick.
If I’m the Giants, I trade back fill the many needs they have with picks in both this year and next years draft they’ll receive, and sign a bridge QB for 2025 and 2026. They are not going to compete so set the franchise up for long term success. Worst thing a team can do is force a pick , specially the #1 overall.
I don’t care if the pats get the first or second pick I don’t trust this team to make the right decision on the pick or trading back