The final week of the 2024 NFL regular season is here, which means playoff spots are on the line this Sunday. That’s not the only prize to be won, however, as the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft is also to be decided.
It’s the Shedeur Sanders/Travis Hunter sweepstakes, and three teams are in the running: The 3-14 Cleveland Browns, 3-13 New England Patriots and 3-13 Tennessee Titans. What needs to happen for each team for them to win the top pick in the draft? Let’s take a look. First, here are the tiebreakers when it comes to assigning draft picks.
- Head-to-head, if applicable
- Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games (minimum of four)
- Strength of victory in all games
- Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games
- Best net points in all games
- Best net touchdowns in all games
- Coin toss
Patriots: Lose
In order for New England to secure the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, they simply need to lose to the Buffalo Bills at home on Sunday. While the Bills are one of the best teams in the NFL, losing to them on Sunday won’t be that simple.
Josh Allen will start for Buffalo, but he’s expected to come out of the game quickly for Mitch Trubisky. Then, there’s the status of Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who is listed as questionable to play after being limited in practice all week with a right hand injury. Even if he starts, does Maye play the entire game? Fellow rookie signal-caller Joe Milton III received some first-team reps in practice this week. The Bills are currently listed as 3.5-point favorites over at BetMGM Sportsbook.
Titans: Lose AND Patriots beat Bills
Following their loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars last week and the New York Giants’ upset over the Indianapolis Colts, the Titans find themselves right in the mix for the top pick. Even though they are wearing the old Houston Oilers uniforms and hosting the rival Houston Texans on Sunday, Titans fans are desperately hoping for a loss to end one of the worst campaigns since the franchise moved to the Volunteer State.
The Texans have already secured the AFC South title AND the No. 4 seed in the AFC. Head coach DeMeco Ryans has said his starters are going to play Sunday, but will they play the entire game? The Titans already defeated the Texans in Houston earlier this season, and this specific matchup is important to Titans ownership. This game is more of a toss-up than Bills at Patriots.
With a loss to Houston and a New England win vs. Buffalo, the Titans would have the opportunity to select the QB from Colorado.
Browns: Patriots AND Titans win
The Browns fell to Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, 35-10, so their draft pick position is in the hands of other teams. Cleveland needs both the Patriots and Titans to win Sunday for the Browns to lock up the top pick in the draft. If both teams lose their respective matchups, the Browns would be selecting No. 3 overall.
