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2019 NFL Draft: Oakland Raiders take over top spot after MNF

By Sayre Bedinger

OAKLAND, CA - NOVEMBER 11: Fans cheer in the stands during their NFL game between the Oakland Raiders and the Los Angeles Chargers at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on November 11, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - NOVEMBER 11: Fans cheer in the stands during their NFL game between the Oakland Raiders and the Los Angeles Chargers at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on November 11, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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If the Oakland Raiders’ goal this season was to tank for the top pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, things are actually going according to plan.

If Jon Gruden and the Oakland Raiders set out this season to absolutely tank and earn the top selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, then everything is actually going according to plan, and Gruden has pulled a fast one on all of us.

For the first time in at least a few weeks, there has been a major shift at the top of the 2019 NFL Draft order, and it comes at a critical point of the season.

The New York Giants held the top spot in the draft order for a while but have now officially been replaced at the top by the Oakland Raiders. As a matter of fact, the Giants were jumped by two teams in the draft order following their oddly exciting if ugly Monday Night Football victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

Here’s a look at the updated top 10 for the 2019 NFL Draft after the Giants’ win over the 49ers shook things up quite a bit.

28. . (1-8). AFC West. Oakland Raiders. 1. player

(2-8). NFC West. San Francisco 49ers. 2. player. 42.

3. player. 31. . (2-7). NFC East. New York Giants

NFC West. Arizona Cardinals. 4. player. 32. . (2-7)

30. . (3-7). NFC East. New York Jets. 5. player

. (3-7). NFC East. Buffalo Bills. 6. player. 16

(3-6). NFC North. Detroit Lions. 7. player. 50.

8. player. 45. . (3-6). AFC West. Denver Broncos

(3-6). AFC South. Jacksonville Jaguars. 9. player. 52.

10. player. 48. . (3-6). NFC South. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

One team noticeably absent from this top 10 order? That would be the 3-6-1 Cleveland Browns, who would be picking outside of the top 10 for the first time in about 30 years.

All kidding aside, the Browns would probably love to have another top 10 pick to add to their core of young talent, but they probably aren’t going to complain about getting some victories either. Cleveland is going to have something very attractive to sell to a prospective head coach.

Now how about the quarterback race? This is the most significant development because it was widely assumed the Giants would just take Justin Herbert with the number one overall pick (if he declares).

There’s now a decent chance the Giants could get jumped by another team looking to move up for a quarterback, specifically with a team like the 49ers. The Raiders seem likely to stand pat with three first-round picks already and no real need to move out of the number one slot if they can guarantee getting the top player on their board.

The Giants are still in a great spot because the team moving down wouldn’t have to move far, but as always, someone could out-bid them and make their move up.

Next. Latest 2019 mock draft. dark

If the Giants find a way to win another couple of games this season, they are going to be in a tough spot as far as moving up for a quarterback, but they may not care to do that anyway.

This is going to get more and more dramatic over the course of the remainder of the regular season.

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