The NY Jets concluded arguably the most disappointing season in franchise history on Sunday in the only way they know how: with a meaningless January win that ultimately costs the team draft position.
For the players in that Jets locker room who endured a grueling, disappointing season, ending the year with a win must feel incredibly rewarding. It's hard not to take some solace in their happiness.
But as far as the future of the Jets organization is concerned, Sunday's 32-20 win over the Miami Dolphins only served to hurt the team's draft position. How much did it affect it?
Here's an updated look at the (almost) solidified top-10 picks in this years 2025 NFL Draft.
2025 NFL Draft Order:
Rank | Team | Record |
---|---|---|
1 | Tennessee Titans | 3-14 |
2 | Cleveland Browns | 3-14 |
3 | New York Giants | 3-14 |
4 | New England Patriots | 4-13 |
5 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 4-13 |
6 | Las Vegas Raiders | 4-13 |
7 | New York Jets | 5-12 |
8 | Carolina Panthers | 5-12 |
9 | New Orleans Saints | 5-12 |
10 | Chicago Bears | 5-12 |
The Jets' win over the Dolphins sees them finish with a 5-12 record, their worst finish since Robert Saleh's first season in 2021. It also caused them to drop at least one spot in this year's draft.
The Jets are currently slated to have the No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Carolina Panthers will be determined by a strength of schedule tiebreaker while the Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars both lost on Sunday, securing their place in the top six.
The Jets and Panthers' strength of schedule tiebreaker will be decided by tonight's Minnesota Vikings-Detroit Lions game. Carolina currently has a SOS of .498 while the Jets are sitting at .497, but that will change tonight.
Since the Jets played the Vikings earlier in the year, a Minnesota win would boost the Jets' SOS and likely cost them the tiebreaker. The Panthers did not play the Vikings or Lions this season.
In short, if the Lions defeat the Vikings tonight, the Jets will pick seventh in the draft. If the Vikings win, the Panthers will likely receive the SOS tiebreaker and pick seventh while the Jets would fall to eighth.
This could be a significant development, with both teams possibly eyeing players such as Michigan's Mason Graham and Penn State's Abdul Carter. The Lions-Vikings game will have serious draft implications.
The Jets could have climbed as high as the No. 2 overall pick entering the weekend and theoretically could have picked as high as sixth overall after the 1 o'clock window came to a close.
Instead, Jets fans will have to wait for the outcome of tonight's game before their team's draft order is solidified. Stay tuned.