The end is near! There’s just one week left in the 2019 NFL season, meaning all of the shuffling at the top of the 2020 NFL Draft order will soon be coming to an end — barring trades. And while the Dolphins have slid up into the middle of the top-10, there’s still much left on the table for Miami.
Based on the 2019 Week 17 schedule, Miami could be picking anywhere between 2nd and 6th overall. Here’s the Dolphins’ “doomsday” NFL Draft order outcomes for Week 17 and where the Dolphins would be picking as a result.
Dolphins vs. Patriots
It’s hard to call a Dolphins win a negative — but in Miami’s case a Week 17 win over the Patriots could put this team in danger of slipping behind the Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL Draft order. A Miami win could ultimately push the Dolphins no lower than 6th — but one extra spot could be costly if it is conceded to a QB-needy team.
Colts vs. Jaguars
The only team that can pass the Dolphins in the NFL Draft order is the Jaguars. A Jacksonville win eliminates all of Miami’s worries, while an Indianapolis win paired with a Dolphins win would push Jacksonville to 5th in the order (unless the Jets defeat the Bills this weekend, and then Miami would own a strength of schedule tiebreaker and keep the pick).
Steelers vs. Ravens
The playoff scenario for Pittsburgh is simple. Win and the Titans must lose. A Pittsburgh win looks more likely give Baltimore will be resting their key starters after locking up the #1 seed in the AFC.
Titans vs. Texans
A Houston win hurts Miami in two ways — it boosts the Texans’ odds of finishing with a higher pick once they’re eliminated and it would assist Pittsburgh in climbing back into the playoffs.
Seeing these outcomes materialize would position Houston as either the #3 seed or the #4 seed in the AFC and Pittsburgh as the #6 seed. If both of these teams have to make the playoffs, Miami should want to see Houston as the 3-seed so that the Steelers and Texans have to play one another in the first round. If Houston is the 4-seed, it would be mathematically possible to pair the Steelers and Texans in the AFC Championship Game (although that is extremely unlikely).
If the Dolphins saw that materialize along with this Week 17 doomsday scenario, the Miami Dolphins would be positioned to own the following picks in the 1st-round of the 2020 NFL Draft:
- 6th overall (Miami’s pick)
- 29th or 31st or 32nd overall (Pittsburgh’s pick)
- 29th or 30th or 31st or 32nd (Houston’s pick)
6th overall and two picks 29th or later is about as bad as it can possibly get for owning three 1st-round picks, so let’s keep the fingers crossed it doesn’t come to that.
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