Raiders lead logjam for No. 1 pick in '26; Rams could crash party

With four games to go in the regular season, the Las Vegas Raiders are at the front of the line for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The franchise last picked first overall in 2007, selecting infamous bust JaMarcus Russell, but eight times has drafted in the top 10 since taking the LSU quarterback over Pro Football Hall of Famers Calvin Johnson (Lions), Joe Thomas (Browns) and Adrian Peterson (Vikings).

In a three-way tie at the bottom of the NFL standings through Week 14, the Raiders are atop the draft order based on strength of schedule.

The Tennessee Titans and New York Giants share the same 2-11 record and could jump the line to claim the first pick based on schedule strength if it comes to tiebreakers.

Head-to-head matchups on Dec. 28 might go a long way toward determining the final draft order.

There could be far more interest than usual in Nashville around the Giants-Raiders matchup Week 17, when the Titans play the Saints (3-10).

Tennessee earned a 31-29 victory over the Cleveland Browns (3-10) last week. The Giants didn't lose last week -- they were on a much-needed bye -- but haven't won since Oct. 9. Their seven-game losing streak is on the line Sunday at home against the Commanders (3-10).

New Orleans has only drafted No. 1 overall once. The Saints picked running back George Rogers in 1981.

Also in the 3-10 logjam are the Jets and Cardinals.

At 4-9, the Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals are still alive for the top overall pick in 2026. However, Atlanta traded its first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams during the 2025 draft to move up and select Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce. Pearce has a share of the team lead with 6.0 sacks as a rookie.

The Rams (10-3) are not even considering the draft at this point. They can become the first NFC team to clinch a playoff spot with a win against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

--Field Level Media