The 2026 NFL season has hit its quarter mark, and there are still five winless teams. With all five currently holding the top picks in the 2027 NFL Draft order and already having quarterbacks in place, is the race for the No. 1 overall pick turning attention away from the hyped-up 2027 quarterback class?
That question is becoming an interesting debate, especially with one non-quarterback making a strong case to go No. 1 overall.
Each of the teams currently winless could move on from their current quarterbacks. Although it would be less likely for the Tennessee Titans to move on from Cam Ward, who was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, teams like the Houston Texans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins and L.A. Chargers all have reasons to move on from their current quarterback situations.
Each of those teams also has reasons to hold onto their quarterbacks and instead use the pick to get them an elite offensive playmaker. With a generational talent like Jeremiah Smith at the top of the draft class, there can be an argument for selecting the Heisman Trophy frontrunner over one of the top quarterbacks when it comes to the No. 1 overall pick. It sure does get interesting week to week in the NFL.
Here's how the 2027 NFL Draft order looks entering Week 5 of the 2026 NFL season.
2027 NFL Draft order entering Week 5
Pick | Team | Record | Win Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Houston Texans | 0-4 | .000 |
2 | Tennessee Titans | 0-4 | .000 |
3 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0-4 | .000 |
4 | LA Chargers | 0-4 | .000 |
5 | Miami Dolphins | 0-4 | .000 |
6 | NY Jets | 1-3 | .250 |
7 | New Orleans Saints | 1-3 | .250 |
8 | Washington Commanders | 1-3 | .250 |
9 | Arizona Cardinals | 1-3 | .250 |
10 | Cincinnati Bengals | 2-2 | .500 |
11 | New York Jets via INDY | 2-2 | .500 |
12 | New York Jets via Dallas | 2-2 | .500 |
13 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 2-2 | .500 |
14 | Dallas Cowboys via GB | 2-2 | .500 |
15 | Detroit Lions | 2-2 | .500 |
16 | Philadelphia Eagles | 2-2 | .500 |
17 | Atlanta Falcons | 2-2 | .500 |
18 | Denver Broncos | 2-2 | .500 |
19 | Carolina Panthers | 2-2 | .500 |
20 | New England Patriots | 2-2 | .500 |
21 | Cleveland Browns via LA Rams | 2-2 | .500 |
22 | Cleveland Browns | 3-1 | .750 |
23 | Las Vegas Raiders | 3-1 | .750 |
24 | Seattle Seahawks | 3-1 | .750 |
25 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 3-1 | .750 |
26 | Buffalo Bills | 3-1 | .750 |
27 | NY Giants | 3-1 | .750 |
28 | Chicago Bears | 3-1 | .750 |
29 | Baltimore Ravens | 3-1 | .750 |
30 | Minnesota Vikings | 4-0 | 1.000 |
31 | Kansas City Chiefs | 4-0 | 1.000 |
32 | San Francisco 49ers | 4-0 | 1.000 |
Draft order notes:
New York Jets own Dallas and Indianapolis' first-round picks. Cleveland owns the Rams' first-round pick.
Who currently owns the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft?
The Texans still hold the No. 1 overall pick as they dropped to 0-4 following a loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
While it’s easy to point the finger at CJ Stroud, he hasn’t been the problem. He currently ranks fifth in the NFL with 1,141 passing yards through the first four games with five touchdowns and no interceptions. Although there was some question about the team moving on from him, Stroud has looked solid this season. It’s been the defense letting the team down, especially after giving up over 30 points in two of the four losses.
So, Houston is a team that could select Smith or another franchise-type cornerstone like Colin Simmons, who could serve as an eventual replacement for Danielle Hunter, who is on the other side of 30.
That is tempting, but the Texans are facing a contract decision with Stroud, who is in the final year of his rookie contract. Could that serve as a reason to select, say, Arch Manning or Darian Mensah with the No. 1 overall pick? That decision could reshape the 2027 NFL Draft as Stroud then becomes available for another quarterback-hungry team.
The Titans, who currently hold the No. 2 overall pick, are another fascinating situation. As a team still rebuilding its roster, Tennessee is in position to gain more draft capital by trading down. They need to be more patient with Ward, and the additional picks can help them build around him for the future, particularly along the offensive line.
While drafting a player like Smith and perhaps reuniting him with his former Ohio State running mate Carnell Tate would bring a lot of buzz to the Music City, the Titans are a team that must think about gaining as many picks as possible in the talent pool that is the 2027 NFL Draft.
If the season ended today, here is how we have the top five rounding out:
Pick | Team | Player | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Houston Texans | Jeremiah Smith | WR | Ohio State |
2 | Tennessee Titans | Leonard Moore | CB | Notre Dame |
3 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Colin Simmons | EDGE | Texas |
4 | L.A. Chargers | Arch Manning | QB | Texas |
5 | Miami Dolphins | Darian Mensah | QB | Miami (FL) |
Each of the top three teams has a case for moving down in the draft with QB-needy teams eager to move up. With the NY Jets holding three first-round picks, they are a team that could entice a team like the Titans or Buccaneers if they want to secure a top quarterback they like. That is, if the Jets don’t end up with the No. 1 overall pick.
Again, the order shifts week to week at this point, but what has been consistent thus far is the five teams that have yet to secure a win. Out of the five, the Texans and Buccaneers should start putting wins on the board and shift out of this group.
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