Much has been made about the NFL playoff picture, but there is also a race to the bottom in the battle for the No. 1 pick. The Las Vegas Raiders officially won the race to the bottom and will have the No. 1 pick.
Here’s a look at the current NFL draft order. We will continue to update the list of picks as the Week 18 games are completed.
The countdown is officially on for the 2026 NFL draft, which starts on April 23, in Pittsburgh.
Here’s a look at the current NFL draft order for all the first-round picks in 2026, per Tankathon. We will be updating this order as Week 18 games go final.
As a reminder, each playoff team’s draft order is determined by the postseason results.
NFL Draft Order 2026: Projected Picks Amid Week 18 Games
| PICK | TEAM |
| 1. | Las Vegas Raiders (2-14) |
| 2. | Tennessee Titans (3-14) |
| 3. | New York Jets (3-13) |
| 4. | Arizona Cardinals (3-13) |
| 5. | New York Giants (4-13) |
| 6. | Washington Commanders (4-12) |
| 7. | Cleveland Browns (5-12) |
| 8. | New Orleans Saints (6-11) |
| 9. | Cincinnati Bengals (6-11) |
| 10. | Kansas City Chiefs (6-10) |
| 11. | Miami Dolphins (7-9) |
| 12. | Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1) |
| 13. | LA Rams (via Atlanta Falcons) (8-9) |
| 14. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9) |
| 15. | New York Jets (via Colts) (8-9) |
| 16. | Detroit Lions (8-8) |
| 17. | Baltimore Ravens (8-8) |
| 18. | Minnesota Vikings (9-8) |
| Teams in NFL Playoffs | |
| 19. | Carolina Panthers |
| 20. | Dallas Cowboys (via Packers) |
| 21. | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 22. | LA Chargers |
| 23. | Buffalo Bills |
| 24. | LA Rams |
| 25. | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 26. | Houston Texans |
| 27. | San Francisco 49ers |
| 28. | Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars) |
| 29. | Chicago Bears |
| 30. | New England Patriots |
| 31. | Denver Broncos |
| 32. | Seattle Seahawks |
Who Will Be the No. 1 Pick in the 2026 NFL Draft?
The Raiders are officially on the clock and face a challenging decision on who the team will select with the No. 1 pick. Fresh off winning the Heisman Trophy, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the early favorite to be the No. 1 pick at -450, per FanDuel. Oregon signal-caller Dante Moore is a distant second at +430.
Raiders fans have even more reason to watch the Peach Bowl on January 9, as Mendoza leads Indiana against Moore’s Oregon with a spot in the national championship on the line.
“Raiders’ fans wondering if there is a ‘can’t-miss’ quarterback in this class are asking the wrong question,” The Athletic’s Dane Brugler and Chris Burke wrote in a January 4, 2026, story titled, “Las Vegas Raiders clinch No. 1 pick in 2026 NFL Draft.” “Instead, the question should be: Is there a quarterback who can become a top-12 player at his position in the NFL?
“If Las Vegas’ front office believes that answer is ‘yes,’ then that should be the pick — and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza shows that type of promise. With his pre- and post-snap intelligence, Mendoza has been a perfect fit in the Hoosiers’ RPO-heavy scheme and has the accuracy to make dagger throws at every level of the field. He doesn’t have dynamic athleticism, but he isn’t a statue either and shows encouraging sack avoidance. His play style and skill set are reminiscent of Jared Goff.”
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