The race for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL draft is taking shape after 10 weeks of the 2025 season. Five teams have at least a 5% chance at landing the top pick, according to ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) projections. So we called on our NFL reporters and analysts to size up each of those bottom-tier franchises after midseason.
The NFL trade deadline hasn't even hit yet, but scouts and fans alike are already excited about what their respective teams might do in the draft next season. The New England Patriots have been excellent to start 2025, and it seems their days of picking in the top five are over; now 5-2 and atop the AFC East standings, they're currently slotted for 29th overall pick in the 2026 draft order, entering Week 8.