No matter how the Jets finish out the regular season, they’ll have a top two in the 2021 NFL draft.
With the Bengals beating the Steelers on Monday Night Football, the Jets are guaranteed to either have the No. 1 pick in the draft or the No. 2 pick. Currently, the Jets have the No. 2 pick after their stunning 23-20 win over the Rams on Sunday.
Jacksonville lost its game to Baltimore, so it fell to 1-13 and now has control of the top pick in next year’s draft. Even though both the Jets and Jaguars have 1-13 records, the Jaguars hold the strength of schedule tiebreaker over the Jets. Jacksonville’s strength of schedule is lower than New York’s, meaning it has the same record against a worse set of teams than New York.
Both the Jets and Jaguars have two games left in their seasons. The Jets play the Browns and Patriots, while the Jaguars face the Bears and Colts. A Jaguars win would go a long way in helping the Jets regain the top pick in the draft. That is if the Jets lose their two remaining games in addition to the Jaguars winning a game.
Let’s take a look at where the first-round draft order stands after Week 15.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-13)
2. New York Jets (1-13)
3. Cincinnati Bengals (3-10-1)
4. Carolina Panthers (4-10)
5. Atlanta Falcons (4-10)
6. Miami Dolphins (from Houston, 4-10)
7. Philadelphia Eagles (4-9-1)
8. Dallas Cowboys (5-9)
9. Los Angeles Chargers (5-9)
10. New York Giants (5-9)
11. Detroit Lions (5-9)
12. San Francisco 49ers (5-9)
13. Denver Broncos (5-9)
14. Minnesota Vikings (6-8)
15. New England Patriots (6-8)
16. Chicago Bears (7-7)
17. Las Vegas Raiders (7-7)
18. Baltimore Ravens (9-5)
19. Washington Football Team (6-8)
20. Arizona Cardinals (8-6)
21. Miami Dolphins (9-5)
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-5)
23. Indianapolis Colts (10-4)
24. Cleveland Browns (10-4)
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Los Angeles Rams, 9-5)
26. New York Jets (from Seattle Seahawks, 10-4)
27. Tennessee Titans (10-4)
28. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3)
29. New Orleans Saints (10-4)
30. Buffalo Bills (11-3)
31. Green Bay Packers (11-3)
32. Kansas City Chiefs (13-1)