While the Houston Texans will play another week, the first 18 picks for the 2026 NFL draft are set in stone after the regular season.
The Las Vegas Raiders clinched the No. 1 overall pick with a 3-14 record. Even after a win over the Kansas City Chiefs, having a head-to-head loss against the New York Giants and the Tennessee Titans gave the AFC West franchise the top pick, which is expected to be used on a quarterback.
Advertisement
The New York Jets will select No. 2 overall, with the intent of finding their franchise signal-caller. Former Texans Pro Bowl defensive back Aaron Glenn is expected to return as head coach after a woeful campaign, but change must come if he expects to survive a second season.
Around the AFC South, the Titans locked up the No. 4 overall pick since their head-to-head win over the Arizona Cardinals slighted the NFC West franchise up a spot. The Indianapolis Colts won't pick in the first round after sending a pair of Day 1 selections to the Jets for All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner.
Since the trade, the Colts won one game and ended the season on a seven-game losing streak.
With the dust settled, here's where the first round of the 2026 NFL draft looks like entering wild-card round weekend:
Advertisement
1. Las Vegas Raiders (3-14)
2. New York Jets (3-14)
3. Arizona Cardinals (3-14)
4. Tennessee Titans (3-14)
5. New York Giants (4-13)
8. New Orleans Saints (6-11)
9. Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)
10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-11)
11. Miami Dolphins (7-10)
12. Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1)
13. Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta - 8-9)
16. New York Jets (via Indianapolis - 8-9)
Six more teams will join the group next week after the wild-card round. Should the Green Bay Packers lose, their pick goes to the Dallas Cowboys as part of the Micah Parsons trade. The same goes for the Jacksonville Jaguars, whose pick belongs to the Cleveland Browns as part of the trade for the No. 2 pick, Travis Hunter.
The Texans take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football at 7 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: 2026 NFL draft: What's the first-round order after the regular season?

5 days ago
2

English (US) ·