Updated 2021 NFL Draft Order Following Week 15 Results

It's never too early to start thinking about what your team might do in the upcoming NFL draft, but for fans whose teams have only one or two wins, that time comes around sooner. 

There are officially no more winless teams on the year, as the hapless New York Jets, who came into their matchup against the Los Angeles Rams at 0-13 on Sunday, held on for a win. However, as we'll get into in more detail below, when it comes to the NFL draft, that might actually count as a loss for the Jets. 

With the Rams' defeat, the Seattle Seahawks took control of the NFC West and clinched a playoff berth. 

The NFL playoff picture is coming into clearer focus. In perhaps the biggest news of the day, the New England Patriots were eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday when they lost 22-12 to the Miami Dolphins; the Buffalo Bills clinched the division title, and the Dolphins for now own the final AFC berth. 

It's New England's first missed postseason since 2008 and would be its first losing season since 2000 if it doesn't win out. 

In the NFC, the Green Bay Packers retained the No. 1 seed when they defeated the Carolina Panthers 24-16 Saturday. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers retained the No. 6 seed with their 31-27 comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons.

The 2021 NFL draft will be a juicy one for teams with high picks. Not only is Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence there for the taking at No. 1 overall, there are also other players who could deeply affect a franchise's fortunes for the better: Oregon offensive lineman Penei Sewell, Penn St. linebacker Micah Parsons, LSU wideout Ja'Marr Chase, to name just a few. 

Let's break down the 2021 NFL draft order as it stands today 

Updated 2021 NFL Draft Order

1. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-13) 

2. New York Jets (1-13)

3. Cincinnati Bengals (2-10-1)

4. Carolina Panthers (4-10)

5. Atlanta Falcons (4-10)

6. Miami Dolphins (via HOU) (4-10)

7. Philadelphia Eagles (4-9-1)

8. Dallas Cowboys (5-9)

9. Los Angeles Chargers (5-9)

10. Detroit Lions (5-9)

11. San Francisco 49ers (5-9)

12. Denver Broncos (5-9)

13. New York Giants (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. Cleveland Browns (10-4)

24. Indianapolis Colts (10-4)

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (via LAR) (9-5)

26. New York Jets (via SEA) (10-4)

27. Tennessee Titans (10-4)

28. Buffalo Bills (11-3)

29. New Orleans Saints (10-4)

30. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-2)

31. Green Bay Packers (11-3)

32. Kansas City Chiefs (13-1)

Draft order via Tankathon.

New York Jets fans haven't had a lot to celebrate this season, but that changed in the first half of Sunday's tilt against the Los Angeles Rams, when the Jets got out to a hot 13-0 start, stunning Sean McVay's squad. 

Though Los Angeles came back, New York pulled out the win 23-20 for their first of the year. 

However, many Jets fans may be less than pleased their team decided to win a meaningless game in late December, as New York falls below the Jacksonville Jaguars to No. 2 overall due to the strength of schedule tiebreaker. 

Tankathon tracks strength of schedule as well as draft order and gives Jacksonville the edge at .554 compared to the Jets' .593.

Goodbye, Trevor Lawrence?

Even if the Jaguars retain control of the No. 1 pick through the end of the season, not all hope is lost for the Jets. At No. 2 overall they'd still have their pick of Ohio State's Justin Fields or BYU's Zach Wilson, who have been leapfrogging one another as the second-best quarterback available in this year's prospect class. 

Elsewhere in the order, while it may be shocking to see the Patriots pick inside the top 18 in next year's draft, fans should look at it as an opportunity to build for the future with a meaningful pick. The last time they picked this high was in 2011, when they had the No. 17 overall pick. 

Right now, it seems the highest New England could hope to pick is No. 13 overall, depending on how the rest of their season shakes out. They finish out with the Bills in Week 16 and the Jets in Week 17.