The playoffs have begun. The playoffs for the No. 1 pick, that is.
Entering Week 18, the battle for the top overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft comes down to two teams: the Texans and the Bears. Houston holds a slim, half-game lead for the moment, while Chicago is locked into the top four regardless of how the final week plays out.
The Texans, though, have a tough opponent against which to secure that top pick on Sunday: Houston faces the hapless Colts, which is anything but a guaranteed loss. The Bears face off against the playoff-bound Vikings, who are the cream of the AFC North crop.
The Texans will almost certainly be looking at the quarterback spot once April rolls around, and whether they finish at No. 1 or No. 2 in the draft order, they'll have options. Alabama's Bryce Young figures to be the top quarterback available, while C.J. Stroud of Ohio State could also make the case to be a top-five selection with a strong combine season.
MORE: Sporting News' latest 2023 mock draft
But, the order isn't quite locked yet. A Bears loss and a Texans win means Chicago will hold the top selection, and that's when things can get a little interesting. With Justin Fields entrenched at quarterback, there are any number of options for Chicago with that No. 1 spot.
But, we're not there yet. Week 18 will be the ultimate decider for an offseason's worth of discussion
NFL Draft order 2023
How the draft order stands entering the Week 17 "Sunday Night Football" matchup between the Steelers and Ravens:
| Pick | Team | W-L-T |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston Texans | 2-13-1 |
| 2 | Chicago Bears | 3-13 |
| 3 | Seattle Seahawks (from DEN) | 4-12 |
| 4 | Arizona Cardinals | 4-12 |
| 5 | Indianapolis Colts | 4-11-1 |
| 6 | Detroit Lions (from LAR) | 5-11 |
| 7 | Las Vegas Raiders | 6-10 |
| 8 | Atlanta Falcons | 6-10 |
| 9 | Carolina Panthers | 6-10 |
| 10 | Philadelphia Eagles (from NO) | 7-9 |
| 11 | Tennessee Titans | 7-9 |
| 12 | Houston Texans (from CLE) | 7-9 |
| 13 | New York Jets | 7-9 |
| 14 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 7-8 |
| 15 | Washington Commanders | 7-8-1 |
| 16 | Green Bay Packers | 8-8 |
| 17 | Detroit Lions | 8-8 |
| 18 | Seattle Seahawks | 8-8 |
| 19 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 8-8 |
| 20 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 8-8 |
| 21 | New England Patriots | 8-8 |
| 22 | New York Giants | 9-6-1 |
| 23 | Los Angeles Chargers | 10-6 |
| 24 | Baltimore Ravens | 10-5 |
| 25 | Cincinnati Bengals | 11-4 |
| 26 | Minnesota Vikings | 12-4 |
| 27 | Dallas Cowboys | 12-4 |
| 28 | Denver Broncos (from SF via MIA) | 12-4 |
| 29 | Buffalo Bills | 12-3 |
| 30 | Kansas City Chiefs | 13-3 |
| 31 | Philadelphia Eagles | 13-3 |
Notes:
— The Eagles hold the Saints' first-round pick as part of a pick swap with New Orleans during the 2022 NFL Draft.
— The Texans hold the Browns' first-round pick as part of the trade that sent Deshaun Watson to Cleveland.
— The Seahawks have the Broncos' first-round pick as part of the compensation in the Russell Wilson trade.
— The Lions have the Rams' first-round pick because of the Matthew Stafford trade.
— The Broncos traded pass-rusher Bradley Chubb to the Dolphins for a first-round pick prior to the 2022 NFL trade deadline. That pick formerly belonged to the 49ers, who traded it to Miami as part of the package to move up to draft Trey Lance in 2021.
— The Dolphins don't have their own first-round pick after being sanctioned by the NFL for tampering violations regarding Tom Brady and Sean Payton.
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There could be three first-round quarterbacks come next April: Alabama's Bryce Young, Ohio State's C.J. Stroud and Kentucky's Will Levis.
It appeared Young was leading the pack before bowl season. Young and Stroud were considered the best passers entering this year's draft, with Levis' standing something of a mixed bag. Some consider the Kentucky passer to be a first-round talent, while others believe he may fall out of the first round completely. Levis' physical traits are legitimate, but questions about his processing and decision-making remain.
Outside of the QBs, several game-wrecking defenders should be top-10, if not top-five, selections. Alabama's Will Anderson and Georgia's Jalen Carter will jockey for first defensive player off the board in 2023. Clemson's Myles Murphy could also find himself in that discussion.