Where Will the New York Jets Pick in the First Round of the 2022 NFL Draft? Week 18 Rooting Guide

Here's a breakdown of where the Jets could pick in the first round of this year's draft, along with a rooting guide for Sunday's slate of Week 18 games.

If there were only 16 games this season, the order to the 2022 NFL draft would already be set.

With one more contest on each team's schedule here in Week 18, however, there's still one more afternoon where teams can rise or fall on the 2022 NFL draft board.

For the Jets, with two picks in the first round, Sunday's results could have huge implications on their 2022 draft class.

New York can either take steps forward and pick even higher in this spring's first round or they can decrease the chances of getting their desired top prospects, sinking further from the No. 1 overall pick.

Entering play in Buffalo on Sunday, the Jets pick fourth overall and seventh overall, per Tankathon. New York has the same record as the Texans (4-12), but Houston's strength of schedule is easier, so they get the superior selection. 

The Jets' second first-rounder, of course, comes from the Seattle Seahawks and the Jamal Adams trade. We'll talk more about that in a second.

Before anything else, here's a look at the top-10 picks as of the conclusion of Week 17:

1. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-14)
2. Detroit Lions (2-13-1)
3. Houston Texans (4-12)
4. New York Jets (4-12)
5. New York Giants (4-12)
6. Carolina Panthers (5-11)
7. New York Jets, via Seattle Seahawks (6-10)
8. New York Giants, via Chicago Bears (6-10)
9. Washington Football Team (6-10)
10. Atlanta Falcons (7-9)

There's no way that the Jets can pick either first or second overall. It'll be either the Jaguars or Lions on the clock depending on who wins on Sunday (Jacksonville plays the Colts and Detroit plays the Packers). 

What the Jets can do, however, is leapfrog past the Texans. If New York loses to the Bills on Sunday, and Houston defeats the Titans, then the Jets will pick in the No. 3 spot.

Meanwhile, New York's pick from the Seahawks could move in either direction on Sunday. If the Cardinals beat Seattle, and the Panthers win their game against Tampa Bay, then that pick could jump up to No. 6 (on the basis of strength of schedule). 

Seattle's game in Arizona is a big one for Jets fans to watch. If the Seahawks win and finish the season 7-10, their first-round pick could drop quite a bit. Of course that depends on the performance of the Giants, Washington Football Team, Falcons and more, as each of those teams are neck and neck in the draft order. 

While there's a real possibility that New York's pick from the Seahawks can slip out of the top 10, it's unlikely. According to ESPN's Football Power Index, there's a 94.1% chance entering play this week that New York's second pick will be in the top 10. Their average draft position for that selection, from ESPN's latest first-round projections, is 8.1.

If you're curious, here are the rest of the Jets' 2022 picks (all of which can change in their order on Sunday as well):

• No. 35 (2nd round)
• No. 38 via Carolina Panthers (2nd round)
• No. 69 (3rd round)
• No. 108 via Carolina Panthers (4th round)
• No. 114 via Minnesota Vikings (4th round)
• No. 144 (5th round)
• No. 158 via Pittsburgh Steelers (5th round)

The Jets acquired both a second- and fourth-rounder from the Panthers in the Sam Darnold trade as well as a fourth-round pick from the Vikings for tight end Chris Herndon.

Week 18 Rooting Guide

With all that information in mind, here's who you should be rooting for if you're a Jets fan during the final Sunday of the regular season...

Jets @ Bills (4:25 p.m. ET)

A win for the Jets on Sunday might be a plus for New York's development and their confidence entering an important offseason, but when it comes to the draft, a loss in Buffalo would be the best possible outcome. 

New York would then finish the year 4-13, putting them in prime position to add several highly-touted prospects throughout this spring's draft.

Titans @ Texans (1:00 p.m. ET)

You're going to be a Texans fan on Sunday as well if you bleed green and white. A win for Houston and the Jets could jump into the third overall slot. Won't be easy for them coming against the first-place Titans, though.

Depending on who the Jaguars and Lions select, there's a chance a player like Aidan Hutchinson or Kayvon Thibodeaux could slip to the Jets if they're picking third rather than fourth...

Seahawks @ Cardinals (4:25 p.m. ET)

While you're watching the Jets play the Bills, keep an eye on the Seahawks game. If Seattle wins, and other teams lose, things could get complicated and push the Jets' second first-rounder further back. 

If the Seahawks lose, it's the best-case scenario for New York.

Panthers @ Buccaneers (4:25 p.m. ET)

Time to root for Darnold's new squad as well. If Carolina beats the defending champs—like the Jets almost did last week—then Seattle's first-rounder will finish in a better spot. 

If Seattle loses and Carolina wins, New York will pick either sixth or seventh, depending on strength of schedule. Then again, the results of the Giants game in Washington will play a role in all of this as well. 

WFT @ Giants (1:00 p.m. ET)

If the Giants lose to Washington on Sunday, then they could technically skip the Jets and jump into the top 5, depending on final strength of schedule values. As of right now, the Jets (.511) have a significant edge over the Giants (.536) in that category. 

The Giants' second first-rounder (from the Bears) is right behind the Jets' second first-rounder (from Seattle). So a win for Chicago over the Vikings would be beneficial for Gang Green as well. 

MORE:

• Jets Select Four Defenders, Top Tight End in New Three-Round Mock Draft
• Jets Release Two Defenders Ahead of Season Finale
• Jets Seeking 'Redemption' Against Bills in Week 18

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