NFL Week 18 Overreactions
USAT’s Prince Grimes breaks down the NFL playoff picture after closing out the regular season.
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While some teams are prepping for a run at the Lombardi Trophy in February, others are on the clock for April.
The 2025 NFL season has come and gone, with 18 teams currently sitting at home – or on flights to Cancun – as wild-card weekend approaches. Some will advance to the divisional round after this weekend, while six more teams will solidify their place in the 2026 NFL Draft order.
The Las Vegas Raiders hold the No. 1 overall selection, and at this point, it looks like one of either Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza or Oregon’s Dante Moore – should he declare – will be the pick at the top overall spot.
After the Raiders, the quarterback-needy New York Jets will likely select a signal-caller. After that, though, it’s anyone’s guess, especially before the next crop of teams joins the lineup after this weekend.
With six matchups taking place across the AFC and NFC, six more teams will solidify their spot in the pecking order. Until then, here’s how the draft order stacks up:
2026 NFL Draft order
Here’s a look at the latest draft order entering wild-card weekend. for the first round with strength of schedule information via Tankathon. Record indicates that of the original owner of the pick:
Las Vegas Raiders: 3-14 record; .538 strength of scheduleNew York Jets: 3-14, .552Arizona Cardinals: 3-14; .571Tennessee Titans: 3-14, .574New York Giants: 4-13; .524Cleveland Browns: 5-12, .486Washington Commanders: 5-12; .507New Orleans Saints: 6-11; .495Kansas City Chiefs: 6-11; .514Cincinnati Bengals: 6-11; .521Miami Dolphins: 7-10; .488Dallas Cowboys: 7-9-1; .438Los Angeles Rams (from ATL): 8-9; .495Baltimore Ravens: 8-9; .507Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-9, .529New York Jets (from IND): 8-9; .540Detroit Lions: 9-8; .490Minnesota Vikings: 9-8; .514Carolina Panthers: 8-9, .522Dallas Cowboys (from GB): 9-7-1; .483Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7; .503Los Angeles Chargers: 11-6; .458Philadelphia Eagles: 11-6; .476Buffalo Bills: 12-5, .471Chicago Bears: 11-6; .458San Francisco 49ers: 12-5, .498Houston Texans: 12-5; .522Los Angeles Rams: 12-5, .526Cleveland Browns (from JAX): 13-4; .478New England Patriots: 14-3; .391Denver Broncos: 14-3; .422Seattle Seahawks: 14-3; .498NFL mock draft 2026
Here’s how the first five picks of the 2026 NFL Draft could go, according to USA TODAY’s Ayrton Ostly:
Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, IndianaNew York Jets: Dante Moore, QB, OregonArizona Cardinals: Ty Simpson, QB, AlabamaTennessee Titans: Arvell Reese, LB/DE, Ohio StateNew York Giants: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State