Current NFL Playoff Seeds and Draft Order

The Broncos took over the AFC’s #1 seed after beating the Chiefs in Week 11. (Credit Opertinicy)

With just six weeks remaining in the 2013 NFL season, the playoff picture is beginning to materialize. Teams we thought wouldn’t hang on (NY Jets, Carolina Panthers) have stayed in the hunt, while teams we expected to rebound (Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans) have plunged deeper into disappointing seasons.

So it’s about time we start looking at the current NFL playoff seeds, as well as the projected 2014 NFL Draft order, as if the season ended after Week 11. Of course all these rankings will change, but with every NFL team playing at least 10 games in 2013, now is a proper time to start gauging what the 2014 NFL playoffs and NFL Draft may actually look like.

In the AFC playoff race, 5 teams – Broncos, Colts, Bengals, Patriots and Chiefs – have distanced themselves from the rest of the conference. The Jets hold the #6 seed at 5-5, but the Miami Dolphins also hold the same record. Just one game behind the Jets and Dolphins sit the 4-6 Raiders, Titans, Steelers, Ravens and Browns – in other words, the AFC playoff race for the #6 seed is a long way from finished, and as of Week 11 it involves 7 teams battling for one spot.

The NFC playoff race isn’t much clearer. Besides the 3-game lead Seattle currently holds in the NFC West, no current NFC division leader has a lead of more than 1 game. The #6 seed in the NFC belongs to the 49ers right now, but their 6-4 mark is shared by two other teams (the Bears and the surprising Arizona Cardinals), and the Cowboys and Packers sit at 5-5.

With the recent winning streaks compiled by teams like the Cardinals (3 games) and NY Giants (4 games), other NFL franchises have risen up the current 2014 NFL Draft projections. In a sight that many would have considered impossible prior to this season, the Texans and Falcons would hold the #3 and #4 overall picks in next year’s NFL Draft if the season ended today.

Let’s take a look at the current NFL playoff seeds and current 2014 NFL Draft order as of Week 11.

Current NFL playoff seeds (after Week 11)

AFC:

1. Denver Broncos (9-1, AFC West leaders)
2. Indianapolis Colts (7-3, AFC South leaders)
3. New England Patriots (7-3, AFC East leaders)
4. Cincinnati Bengals (7-4, AFC North leaders)
5. Kansas City Chiefs (9-1, AFC wild card #1)
6. New York Jets (5-5, AFC wild card #2)

• Miami Dolphins (5-5, 7th in AFC)

NFC:

1. Seattle Seahawks (10-1, NFC West leaders)
2. New Orleans Saints (8-2, NFC South leaders)
3. Detroit Lions (6-4, NFC North leaders)
4. Philadelphia Eagles (6-5, NFC East leaders)
5. Carolina Panthers (7-3, NFC wild card #1)
6. San Francisco 49ers (6-4, NFC wild card #2)

• Arizona Cardinals (6-4, 7th in NFC)
• Chicago Bears (6-4, 8th in NFC)

Current 2014 NFL Draft order (after Week 11)

1. The 1-9 Jaguars currently hold the #1 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. (Credit Jaguars, Wiki)

   Jacksonville Jaguars

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3. Houston Texans
4. Atlanta Falcons
5. Minnesota Vikings
6. St. Louis Rams (via Washington Redskins)
7. Tennessee Titans
8. Oakland Raiders
9. St. Louis Rams
10. San Diego Chargers
11. Pittsburgh Steelers
12. Cleveland Browns
13. Baltimore Ravens
14. Buffalo Bills
15. New York Giants
16. Green Bay Packers
17. New York Jets
18. Miami Dolphins
19. Dallas Cowboys
20. Chicago Bears
21. Philadelphia Eagles
22. Arizona Cardinals
23. Detroit Lions
24. Cincinnati Bengals
25. San Francisco 49ers
26. Carolina Panthers
27. New England Patriots
28. Cleveland Browns (via Indianapolis Colts)
29. New Orleans Saints
30. Kansas City Chiefs
31. Denver Broncos
32. Seattle Seahawks

Related articles

• NFL playoff picture 2013: Saints keep pace with Seahawks atop NFC, Dolphins improve wild card standings (sbnation.com)
• 2013 NFL Midseason Report: Playoff and Super Bowl Predictions (sidelinemob.com)
• NFL playoff picture 2013: 49ers now *really* in the wildcard race (ninersnation.com)