For much of the season, it looked like the race for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft might come down to the Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints.
Instead, both teams are finishing the season strong, and the Saints might not be in the market for a quarterback come April after all, thanks to the emergence of rookie Tyler Shough.
Taking their place atop the draft order is a group headed by the New York Giants, who haven't won since early October and are preparing to launch a coaching search in January. The stoppable force that is the Giants meets the very movable force that is the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday in a battle of two-win teams. The loser will enter Week 18 in prime position for the No. 1 overall pick.
The Giants and Raiders have different needs, as New York believes it has its quarterback of the future in Jaxson Dart while Las Vegas likely needs to start over at the position, but both fan bases would like to spend the offseason dreaming about their team controlling the top of the draft.
Here is a look at the updated 2026 NFL Draft order with the top pick up for grabs in Week 17.
MORE: Updated NFL power rankings for Week 17
NFL Draft order 2026
| Pick | Team | Record |
| 1 | Giants | 2-13 |
| 2 | Raiders | 2-13 |
| 3 | Browns | 3-12 |
| 4 | Jets | 3-12 |
| 5 | Titans | 3-12 |
| 6 | Cardinals | 3-12 |
| 7 | Commanders | 4-11 |
| 8 | Saints | 5-10 |
| 9 | Bengals | 5-10 |
| 10 | Dolphins | 6-9 |
| 11 | Rams (via Falcons) | 6-9 |
| 12 | Chiefs | 6-9 |
| 13 | Cowboys | 6-8-1 |
| 14 | Ravens | 7-8 |
| 15 | Vikings | 7-8 |
| 16 | Buccaneers | 7-8 |
| 17 | Lions | 8-7 |
| 18 | Jets (via Colts) | 8-7 |
| 19 | Panthers | 8-7 |
| 20 | Steelers | 9-6 |
| 21 | Cowboys (via Packers) | 9-5-1 |
| 22 | Eagles | 10-5 |
| 23 | Texans | 10-5 |
| 24 | Bills | 10-5 |
| 25 | Chargers | 11-4 |
| 26 | 49ers | 11-4 |
| 27 | Browns (via Jaguars) | 11-4 |
| 28 | Rams | 11-4 |
| 29 | Bears | 11-4 |
| 30 | Patriots | 12-3 |
| 31 | Broncos | 12-3 |
| 32 | Seahawks | 12-3 |
MORE: Who goes No. 1 in SN's latest mock draft?
Top 2026 NFL Draft prospects
Here's a look at the top 10 prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, based on SN's Vinnie Iyer's rankings.
| Rank | Player | Position | College team |
| 1 | Rueben Bain Jr. | EDGE | Miami |
| 2 | Fernando Mendoza | QB | Indiana |
| 3 | Arvell Reese | LB | Ohio State |
| 4 | Dante Moore | QB | Oregon |
| 5 | David Bailey | EDGE | Texas Tech |
| 6 | Caleb Downs | S | Ohio State |
| 7 | Cashius Howell | EDGE | Texas A&M |
| 8 | Kenyon Sadiq | TE | Oregon |
| 9 | Carnell Tate | WR | Ohio State |
| 10 | Sonny Styles | LB | Ohio State |
Even in an odd year for quarterbacks, with many of the projected top prospects struggling, a handful of potential first-round picks still remain. Indiana's Fernando Mendoza has played himself into the No. 1 pick conversation, fueled by his Heisman-winning season. Oregon's Dante Moore also remains in the mix near the top of the first round.
Defenders are also rising up the board. Miami EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. And Ohio State LB Arvell Reese each have cases to be the top overall players in the draft, while Reese's teammate Caleb Downs has long been projected as a likely top-10 pick.
While 2026 may not feature a true blue-chip wide receiver prospect, Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson remains a highly-rated player despite battling nagging injuries in 2025 and Ohio State's Carnell Tate has only improved his stock throughout the season. Both have cases to be the first wide receivers off the board in April.