Updated NFL Draft order after wild Week 16 slate

With Week 16 of the season in the books, here is what the 2023 NFL Draft order looks like.

Week 16 of the 2022 NFL season wasn’t as chaotic as the week prior, but it still provided fans with some entertainment and great games. When it comes to best games, it’s hard to look past the Minnesota Vikings-New York Giants game, in addition to the Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles contest.

But when it comes to the 2023 NFL Draft order, it looked to be shaken up when the Houston Texans secured a 19-14 victory over the Tennessee Titans after picking off quarterback Malik Willis twice. With that, the Texans earned their second win of the season, but it had fans wondering if it ruined the team’s chances of landing the No. 1 pick and potentially their next quarterback of the future.

Let’s take a look at the 2023 NFL Draft order after Week 16.

Updated 2023 NFL Draft order after Week 16

Here is the exact draft order for picks No. 1-31. Remember, the Miami Dolphins had their first-round draft pick taken away due to the tampering investigation involving Tom Brady, hence 31 first-round picks and not the regular 32.

1. Houston Texans (2-12-1)
2. Chicago Bears (3-12)
3. Seattle Seahawks (via Denver Broncos (4-11))
4. Arizona Cardinals (4-11)
5. Indianapolis Colts (4-10-1)
6. Atlanta Falcons (5-10)
7. Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams (5-10))
8. Carolina Panthers (6-9)
9. Las Vegas Raiders (6-9)
10. Philadelphia Eagles (via New Orleans Saints (6-9))
11. Houston Texans (via Cleveland Browns (6-9))
12. Seattle Seahawks (7-8)
13. Tennessee Titans (7-8)
14. New England Patriots (7-8)
15. New York Jets (7-8)
16. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8)
17. Green Bay Packers (7-8)
18. Detroit Lions (7-8)
19. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-8)
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8)
21. Washington Commanders (7-7-1)
22. New York Giants (8-6-1)
23. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6)
24. Baltimore Ravens (10-5)
25. Denver Broncos (via San Francisco 49ers (11-4))
26. Cincinnati Bengals (11-4)
27. Dallas Cowboys (11-4)
28. Kansas City Chiefs (12-3)
29. Minnesota Vikings (12-3)
30. Buffalo Bills (12-3)
31. Philadelphia Eagles (13-2)

Even with the victory, the Texans still hold the top spot in the draft order. Houston has been playing hard as of late, notably keeping up with the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs in their previous two games. They are still in the driver’s seat to potentially draft a quarterback like Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, or even Will Levis first overall.

The Chicago Bears notably hold the second-overall pick, despite the stellar play by second-year quarterback Justin Fields. The Bears could opt to stand pat and select a stud defensive player like Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. or Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter. Or, they could trade down with a quarterback-needy team to select an offensive tackle or a wide receiver to give Fields some help.

An embarrassing performance on Christmas Day by the Denver Broncos resulted in first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett’s firing after just 15 games. With the team in a downward spiral that looks difficult for them to escape, especially with Russell Wilson seemingly regressing on a monstrous contract that’s hard to get out of, the Seattle Seahawks are beneficiaries. They could select one of the top defenders available, or even take a quarterback if they so choose. So far, the Seahawks have won the Wilson trade easily.

Teams in the top 10 like the Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions, and Las Vegas Raiders could conceivably select a quarterback. You can’t rule out the Atlanta Falcons, who were officially eliminated from playoff contention despite being in a weak NFC South.

In over one month’s time, the NFL Draft order will be official. But looking at how many six and seven win teams there are with just two regular-season games remaining, expect there to be plenty of changes in the order.