As expected, the Kansas City Chiefs are on a direct path towards a Top 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Of course, nearly no one anticipated this for the reigning AFC champions, yet here we are, and it stands as one of the peculiarities of the draft that is just months away. There are the typical bottom-dwelling teams that most foresaw having early aspirations for the offseason, including both free agency and the NFL Draft, but the Chiefs’ downturn, coupled with the strong finishes of teams like the Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints, disrupts what we initially projected in an NFL Mock Draft.
The wins in Week 17 for the Browns and Saints did not remove them from the Top 10, but they did cause them to drop slightly. Furthermore, the Miami Dolphins also fell out of the Top 10 picks, but did so while Quinn Ewers is drawing attention as a potential quarterback candidate for 2026.
This, along with many other considerations, is already being factored into the draft. For now, let us review the current draft order before quickly moving into a mock draft for the first 10 picks in April’s proceedings.
New 2026 NFL Draft Order
The following is a list outlining the projected draft positions for the first 18 players selected in the NFL’s 2025 Draft, modelled on win-loss records from weeks 16 through 17 of the 2025 season. The teams that finish with the fewest victories over the 16 weeks will draft earlier, while playoff-bound teams will draft later.
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-14)
- New York Giants (3-13)
- New York Jets (3-13)
- Tennessee Titans (3-13)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-13)
- Cleveland Browns (4-12)
- Washington Commanders (4-12)
- New Orleans Saints (6-10)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-10)
- Cincinnati Bengals (6-10)
- Los Angeles Rams (via ATL (6-9))
- Miami Dolphins (7-9)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)
- Dallas Cowboys (7-8-1)
- Detroit Lions (8-8)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (8-8)
- New York Jets (via IND (8-8))
- Carolina Panthers (8-8)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)
- Dallas Cowboys (via GB (9-6-1))
- Los Angeles Chargers (11-5)
- Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)
- Buffalo Bills (11-5)
- Chicago Bears (11-5)
- Houston Texans (11-5)
- Los Angeles Rams (11-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via JAX (12-4))
- San Francisco 49ers (12-4)
- New England Patriots (13-3)
- Denver Broncos (13-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (13-3)
The loss suffered by the Chiefs on Christmas Day night is particularly notable when reviewing the draft order, given that Kansas City has not been in contention for a Top 10 pick in recent years. Observing their strategy in this regard will be intriguing.
Additionally, it will be compelling to see how the Browns react if they are now unable to fulfil their initial draft needs after dropping out of the Top 5, and whether teams like the Saints and Cincinnati Bengals will still obtain the support they need as they wrap up the regular season successfully.
However, more urgently, the Giants’ decisive victory over the Raiders on Sunday grants Las Vegas the top overall pick. This not only alters the draft order but also places the Giants in an intriguing position. With the first overall pick, they could have potentially orchestrated a significant trade down. The question remains, will they have the same opportunity with the second overall pick?
That said, Las Vegas is not guaranteed the No. 1 spot. Should the Raiders triumph over Kansas City in Week 18 while the Giants fall to the Cowboys, New York would reclaim that position. As it stands now, here is a plausible scenario for how the draft may unfold.
FAQ’s On 2026 NFL Mock Draft
What is the date of the NFL Draft for 2026?
The NFL Draft of 2026 will take place in late April, after the conclusion of the Regular Season for 2025.
Who is expected to be the 1 overall selection in the Draft?
The New York Giants currently hold the 2 overall pick prior to the end of December 2025, but the Las Vegas Raiders are expected to make the first overall selection based on the current projections.
What factors can cause the draft order to be changed?
The ultimate draft order will be based on results from Week 18, as well as tiebreakers such as the strength of a team’s schedule and potential trades that occur after Week 17.
Who are the top two quarterbacks projected for the 2026 NFL Draft?
Fernando Mendoza and Dante Moore are expected to be viewed as the two top quarterback prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.
