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Despite the Detroit Lions’ seventh straight loss on Sunday, the team did not move a spot in the draft order this week. After 15 weeks of the 2019 NFL season, the Lions remain in the fifth overall spot. However, the Lions actually did get a lot of help from their competition this week. They’re closer to the No. 2 spot than they have been all season and they also have a lot more wiggle room than below them in the draft order in case they manage to win one of their final two games of the season.
Here’s a look at the updated 2020 NFL Draft order after 15 weeks.
(Note: Standings are based on Tankathon, which used strength of schedule for each team’s 16-game schedule as the tiebreaker, not just the games that have been played thus far.)
- Bengals: 1-13
- Giants: 3-11
- Dolphins: 3-11
- Washington: 3-11
- Lions: 3-10-1
- Cardinals: 4-9-1
- Jets: 5-9
- Jaguars: 5-9
- Chargers: 5-9
- Broncos: 5-9
- Panthers: 5-9
- Falcons: 5-9
Of the four teams above the Lions, three of them lost in Week 5. However, the one team that won—the New York Giants—hold the key to the second overall pick. Now Detroit finds themselves just a half game out of that spot.
And here’s where things get really nice for Detroit. In Week 16, each of the top four teams play each other.
1. Bengals vs. 3 Dolphins
2. Giants vs. 4 Washington
That means if Detroit loses to the Broncos, they could move as high as No. 3 overall by next week. Ideally, the Dolphins beat the Bengals and Washington beats the Giants. Then, in Week 17 the Lions could pass the Giants if New York beats an Eagles team that could be out of the playoff race.
Additionally, the three teams entered Week 15 just below the Lions in draft order won this week. The Cardinals picked up their fourth win, the Jaguars and Falcons picked up their fifth win. That means as long as the Lions don’t win out, they will be picking no lower than sixth overall.
But, unfortunately, the dreams of the first overall pick died for Detroit this week. With the Bengals picking up their 13th loss of the year, the Lions can no longer catch them. So it’s almost guaranteed at this point that Detroit will be picking somewhere between two and six.