What draft position would Raiders have if season ended today?
A lot will change between now and the NFL draft in April that will determine where the Raiders will pick and whom they will select in the first round.
Some teams will win, and others will lose to shake up the order. Free agency will shape positional needs and create unexpected holes and surpluses on the roster.
Plus, the Raiders are still technically alive for a postseason berth.
They currently have a 14 percent chance of qualifying, according to the trusted New York Times model.
Should they win their final two games — at Indianapolis and home against Denver — they project to have a 65 percent chance of everything else falling into place to give them a spot.
That’s where the team’s focus should be, especially with a potential job on the line for a respected interim coach in Antonio Pierce.
But it’s never too early for those outside the locker room to think about the future. So we will take a weekly look on how the Raiders’ draft position is affected by the outcome of their game and other results, as well as some players who could be available in that range.
While Monday’s upset win at Kansas City created a lot of excitement and kept the Raiders’ playoff hopes alive, it wasn’t great for their draft slot.
The Raiders (7-8) fell from No. 11 to No. 13 and have dropped six spots as a result of their two-game winning streak. That probably eliminates them from taking one of the top three quarterbacks unless they try to trade up.
Washington’s Michael Penix could be available at No. 13 if they want to explore a long-term solution at the position. It probably would be a reach to draft any other quarterback there.
A better match probably would be Jer’Zhan Newton, an interior defensive lineman from Illinois. He is an explosive athlete in the middle at a position that could be hit hard by free-agency defections.
There also should be several high-end offensive line prospects available.
One potential name to watch could be Graham Barton. He started his Duke career as a center, but was moved to left tackle because he has been the team’s best lineman the past few years. He figures to move back inside in the NFL and could move up draft boards with his versatility being a desirable asset.
Here is the first-round draft order after Week 16:
1. Bears (from Panthers, 2-13)
2. Cardinals 3-12
3. Commanders 4-11
4. Patriots 4-11
5. Giants 5-10
6. Chargers 5-10
7. Titans 5-10
8. Bears 6-9
9. Jets 6-9
10. Falcons 7-8
11. Saints 7-8
12. Packers 7-8
13. Raiders 7-8
14. Broncos 7-8
15. Vikings 7-8
16. Cardinals (from Texans, 8-7)
17. Steelers 8-7
18. Bengals 8-7
19. Buccaneers 8-7
20. Colts 8-7
21. Seahawks 8-7
22. Jaguars 8-7
23. Rams 8-7
24. Bills 9-6
25. Chiefs 9-6
26. Cowboys 10-5
27. Texans (from Browns, 10-5)
28. Lions 11-4
29. Dolphins 11-4
30. Eagles 11-4
31. 49ers 11-4
32. Ravens 12-3
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.