With a 4-11 record, the San Francisco 49ers are currently sitting with the fifth overall selection in the 2016 NFL Draft heading into a Week 17 matchup with the St. Louis Rams. That could change after Sunday.
With a 49ers loss to the Rams, a San Diego Chargers win over the Denver Broncos, and a Dallas Cowboys win over the Washington Redskins, San Francisco would take possession of the third overall selection. The 49ers, who have the toughest schedule in the NFL, would not be able to climb into the first spot due to strength of schedule and the second spot would be a statistical miracle. A loss at Levi's Stadium would lock up a 2016 NFL Draft selection anywhere between the third overall selection to the fifth overall selection.
A win on Sunday would place the 49ers as high as the fifth overall selection and as low as the eighth overall selection, depending on what happens with other teams.
Below is the draft order, based on playoff seeding (21-32), record, and strength of schedule (SOS), for all 32 (Really 31 since the New England Patriots have forfeited their pick) first-round spots if the season ended today.
| Team | Record | SOS | |
| 1 | Tennessee Titans | 3-12 | .493 |
| 2 | Cleveland Browns | 3-12 | .529 |
| 3 | San Diego Chargers | 4-11 | .511 |
| 4 | Dallas Cowboys | 4-11 | .529 |
| 5 | San Francisco 49ers | 4-11 | .556 |
| 6 | Miami Dolphins | 5-10 | .453 |
| 7 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 5-10 | .467 |
| 8 | Baltimore Ravens | 5-10 | .489 |
| 9 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 6-9 | .453 |
| 10 | New York Giants | 6-9 | .498 |
| 11 | New Orleans Saints | 6-9 | .507 |
| 12 | Philadelphia Eagles | 6-9 | .520 |
| 13 | Detroit Lions | 6-9 | .547 |
| 14 | Chicago Bears | 6-9 | .556 |
| 15 | Buffalo Bills | 7-8 | .498 |
| 16 | Oakland Raiders | 7-8 | .502 |
| 17 | Indianapolis Colts | 7-8 | .520 |
| 18 | St. Louis Rams | 7-8 | .542 |
| 19 | Atlanta Falcons | 8-7 | .476 |
| 20 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 9-6 | .529 |
| 21 | Seattle Seahawks | 9-6 | – |
| 22 | New York Jets | 10-5 | – |
| 23 | Kansas City Chiefs | 10-5 | – |
| 24 | Minnesota Vikings | 10-5 | – |
| 25 | Washington Redskins | 8-7 | – |
| 26 | Houston Texans | 8-7 | – |
| 27 | Green Bay Packers | 10-5 | – |
| 28 | Cincinnati Bengals | 11-4 | – |
| 29 | Denver Broncos | 11-4 | – |
| 30 | Arizona Cardinals | 13-2 | – |
| 31 | New England Patriots* | 12-3 | – |
| 32 | Carolina Panthers | 14-1 | – |
* New England Patriots' selection has been forfeited
** 21-32 based on projected playoff seeding, not record or strength of schedule