No, the Carolina Panthers will not have possession of the No. 1 overall pick of the NFL draft for the third straight year. But they can get awfully close to it!
The final bout of jockeying for draft position, at least amongst non-playoff teams, will take place here in Week 18. And with the final slate of regular-season contests ready to be played, let’s take a look at where the Panthers currently sit in the top 10 of the 2025 order . . .
2025 draft order entering Week 18
*SOS = strength of schedule
- New England Patriots (3-13, SOS: .467)
- Tennessee Titans (3-13, SOS: .515)
- Cleveland Browns (3-13, SOS: .540)
- New York Giants (3-13, SOS: .551)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12, SOS: .474)
- Carolina Panthers (4-12, SOS: .496)
- New York Jets (4-12, SOS: .500)
- Las Vegas Raiders (4-12, SOS: .544)
- Chicago Bears (4-12, SOS: .555)
- New Orleans Saints (5-11, SOS: .507)
So, how high and how low can the Panthers go after this weekend?
What is the highest pick the Panthers can have in the 2025 NFL draft?
Carolina will not be able to skip the queue to the very top. Even if they match New England’s winning percentage, the Panthers’ lowest-possible strength of schedule would still be greater than the Patriots’ highest-possible strength of schedule.
They could, however, shoot up to the No. 2 spot.
The following outcomes must occur in Week 18 for that to happen:
- Atlanta Falcons def. Carolina Panthers
- Tennessee Titans def. Houston Texans
- Cleveland Browns def. Baltimore Ravens
- New York Giants def. Philadelphia Eagles
- Jacksonville Jaguars def. Indianapolis Colts
Per Nathaniel Puente of WCNC Charlotte, a loss from the New York Jets in this scenario along with at least four of the following outcomes would push the Panthers to No. 3:
- Arizona Cardinals def. San Francisco 49ers
- Chicago Bears def. Green Bay Packers
- Cincinnati Bengals def. Pittsburgh Steelers
- Detroit Lions def. Minnesota Vikings
- Kansas City Chiefs def. Denver Broncos
What is the lowest pick the Panthers can have in the 2025 NFL draft?
The Panthers, with their 48-14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, locked themselves into the top nine of the order.
Carolina, 4-12, cannot be jumped by the only 5-11 team in the NFL by virtue of the strength-of-schedule tiebreaker. That team is NFC South rival New Orleans Saints, who are currently in the 10th overall slot.
So, yes, the lowest position the Panthers can fall into is No. 9.