Following the team's victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday, San Francisco now sits at the No. 14 slot with one more Week 16 game on the NFL schedule. And yes, that game could impact the 49ers' draft position.
The Buffalo Bills will travel to Foxborough to face the New England Patriots tonight, and the road-team is a touchdown favorite. However, at this point, it would benefit the 49ers more if the Patriots knocked off the Bills.
As of Monday morning, New England is projected to select at the No. 15 overall spot. The Patriots own a 6-8 record while the 49ers sit at 6-9. Should Bill Belichick's squad fall to 6-9, it would push the 49ers down to the No. 15 spot due to New England's matching record and weaker strength-of-schedule (SOS). If the Patriots win, they stay put.
San Francisco would have benefited from a Denver Broncos win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, but the Broncos ended up losing. Both teams entered the weekend 5-9, but Denver's SOS is much higher than any other 6-9 team that it would have immediately shot past the 49ers down the draft order with a win.
The 49ers still have one more game to play before closing the books on the 2020 season. They will host the Seattle Seahawks at State Farm Stadium on Sunday. The Seahawks opened as 4.5-point favorites.
The Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets are the only teams to clinch their draft positions. They own the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks, respectively.
Current First-Round Draft Oder
TEAM, RECORD, STRENGTH-OF-SCHEDULE
- Jacksonville Jaguars, 1-14, .548
- New York Jets, 2-13, .593
- Miami Dolphins (via Houston Texans), 4-11, .542
- Atlanta Falcons, 4-11, .550
- Cincinnati Bengals, 4-10-1, .527
- Philadelphia Eagles, 4-10-1, .531
- Detroit Lions, 5-10, .504
- New York Giants, 5-10, .506
- Carolina Panthers, 5-10, .529
- Denver Broncos, 5-10, .567
- Dallas Cowboys, 6-9, .465
- Los Angeles Chargers, 6-9, .490
- Minnesota Vikings, 6-9, .508
- San Francisco 49ers, 6-9, .544
- New England Patriots, 6-8, .529
- Oakland Raiders, 7-8, .542
- Arizona Cardinals, 8-7, .473
- Indianapolis Colts, 10-5, .444
Only the top 18 spots are listed above as the remainder will be based on the playoffs' outcome.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
Why the 49ers Should Seriously Consider Trading for Jonathan Greenard
The San Francisco 49ers have built their identity on defensive dominance. From their Super Bowl run in 2019 to recent NFC Championship appearances, the formula has been consistent: overwhelm opposing quarterbacks with relentless pressure. While Nick Bosa remains one of the... -
Why the 49ers Should Extend Trent Williams: Protecting Brock Purdy and their Super Bowl Window
The San Francisco 49ers are approaching a critical offseason, and while there will be plenty of discussion about draft picks, free agents, and roster reshaping, one decision should be crystal clear. The 49ers need to extend All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams. At this stage of... -
49ers fans won't like ESPN's ideal landing spot for Jauan Jennings
ESPN analyst Aaron Schatz recently identified ideal landing spots for several NFL free agents and paired San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings with a familiar — and unwelcome — destination: the NFC West rival Seattle Seahawks. Such a move would force the 49ers... -
3 Defensive Free Agents the 49ers Should Target This Offseason
Defense has long been the identity of the San Francisco 49ers. From dominant pass rushers to opportunistic secondaries, the formula has remained consistent: pressure quarterbacks, control the line of scrimmage, and force turnovers. But maintaining an elite defense in today's...