Cardinals Hold 1st Overall Pick Selection Entering Final Weekend

Cardinals Hold 1^st Overall Pick Selection Entering Final  NFL Weekend

Frank Coyle/ Publisher – Head Scout

 With just one game remaining in the 2018 season, the first round order for the NFL Draft 2019 is shaping the selection process. Currently, 16 clubs still have mathematical chances to earn playoff spots. All NFC division winners have been decided, though one wild card playoff club remains to join Seattle. The AFC playoff picture is more complicated with only the Patriots claiming a division title. The three other AFC divisions are still open with eight teams vying for the five remaining playoff positions.  

 Arizona has the #1 off their 3-12 record. The 49ers remain at the 2^nd overall selection off opponent’s won/loss records, though tied with the Jets and Oakland at 4-11. The Lions, Bucs, Bills, Giants and Jaguars hold the #5 thru #9 overall choices on the merit of their poor 5-10 records. There is a logjam with four clubs at 6-9 that will impact the top half of the first round over the final Sunday of the 2018 season.

 This weekend features a few key matchups, Atlanta at Tampa and Detroit at Green Bay that can shuffle the top 10 selections for all of those clubs. Arizona, San Fran, Jets and Raiders all have road divisional games that will determine the final draft order at the very top of the selection process.

 Opponents’ W-L record will be posted next week after all 16 opponents for each team and the final draft order.  Teams that are tied are currently ranked in the order of their opponents won/loss record.

Current First Round Draft Order

# / Team / W-L /
1 Arizona          3-12
2 San Francisco  4-11
3 NY Jets          4-11
4 Oakland         4-11
5 Detroit           5-10
6 Tampa Bay    5-10
7 Buffalo          5-10
8 NY Giants      5-10
9 Jacksonville   5-10
10 Atlanta         6-9
11 Carolina       6-9
12 Denver         6-9
13 Cincinnati     6-9
14 Green Bay    6-8-1
15 Miami           7-8
16 Washington  7-8
17 Cleveland     7-7-1
18 Philadelphia 8-7
19 Pittsburgh    8-6-1
20 Tennessee    9-6
21 Minnesota    8-6-1
22 Indianapolis  9-6
23 Seattle         9-6
24 Oakland (Dallas)       9-6
25 Baltimore     9-6
26 Houston       10-5
27 New England            10-5
28 Oakland (Chicago)    11-4
29 L.A. Chargers           11-4
30 L.A. Rams    12-3
31 Kansas City  11-4
32 Green Bay (New Orleans)      13-2

Frank Coyle is a longtime member of the FWAA and a voter for the Heisman Trophy, Outland Trophy, Bronko Nagurski, Jim Thorpe, Fred Biletnikoff and Eddie Robinson awards annually for 25 years. He was a 20 year Scouting consultant for the Senior Bowl.