Where would the Raiders pick in the draft if the season ended today?

The Raiders would have the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft if the season ended today.

Or the second pick.

It depends on the website, and there is a reason for the discrepancy.

NFL.com and ESPN list the Raiders in the No. 2 position, while Tankathon and some others list them at No. 1.

The difference is whether the rest of the schedule is projected out.

The Raiders and the Giants both are 2-12, but the Raiders have played a more difficult schedule, and that’s the first tiebreaker for the draft.

As of now, the Raiders’ strength of schedule is .571, significantly better than the Giants’ .541.

But the Raiders have the benefit of playing the woeful Jaguars and Saints the next two weeks. When the records of the remaining three opponents are factored in, the Raiders would have a lower strength of schedule by the end of the season and move ahead of the Giants in the draft order.

Of course, the results of each week’s games will alter those numbers significantly.

So basically the key to getting the No. 1 pick will be to continue to lose games and hope the teams you have played also continue to lose.

The Raiders would have dropped to No. 7 had they defeated the Falcons on Monday.

Sunday’s game between the Raiders and Jaguars (3-11) at Allegiant Stadium will be a big one.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.