Raiders snap 10-game losing streak, but may have cost themselves No. 1 pick

The Las Vegas Raiders snapped their 10-game losing streak on Sunday with a 19-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Their win might have also been the New York Giants’ gain.

The Raiders’ win could potentially alter the top of the 2025 NFL Draft in a significant way, as it dropped them out of the potential No. 1 overall spot and moved the Giants into it.

The Giants, thanks to an appalling 34-7 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, are now in sole possession of the worst record in the NFL. If they maintain that it would give them the top pick in the draft for the first time since the 1965 draft (where they took Auburn running back Tucker Frederickson).

New York also picked No. 1 overall in 1951 and took SMU end Kyle Rote. 

The Raiders, meanwhile, went from the No. 1 pick into a five-way tie (with the New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns) at 3-12. But because the Raiders have the toughest strength of schedule, they drop all the way down to what would be the potential No. 6 pick in the draft.

The current draft order for the top-10 after Sunday’s games would be as follows:

1. New York Giants (2-13)

2. New England Patriots (3-12)

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12)

4. Tennessee Titans (3-12)

5. Cleveland Browns (3-12)

6. Las Vegas Raiders (3-12)

7. Carolina Panthers (4-11)

8. New York Jets (4-11)

9. Chicago Bears (4-11)

10. New Orleans Saints (5-9)

It is important to keep in mind when draft pick discussions happen late in the regular season that the coaches and players actually taking part in the games do not care. They want to win. 

They are playing for jobs, either with their current team or their next team, and probably could not care less about a draft pick that might be on the team long after they are cut, traded or leave in free agency.

It can also have a funny way of working itself out. It was only two years ago that the Houston Texans went for a two-point conversion to win a Week 18 game that took them out of the No. 1 spot in the draft, dropping them down to the No. 2 pick. Outgoing head coach Lovie Smith just wanted to win, and the players on the roster loved it and did not care about moving one pick lower. 

It still ended up working out for the Texans because they used the No. 2 pick on quarterback C.J. Stroud. If they had the No. 1 pick it is very likely they would have taken Bryce Young, who has not been anywhere near the player Stroud is so far. 

So just play the games and let it all sort itself out.

If the Giants simply lose their remaining two games (home against the Indianapolis Colts and at the Philadelphia Eagles) the top pick will belong to them.

The top prospects in this year’s class include Colorado teammates Shedeur Sanders (quarterback) and Travis Hunter (wide receiver and cornerback) and Miami quarterback Cam Ward.