Every regular season, there are two battles in the NFL standings. One is the postseason race, and the other is the competition for the No. 1 overall draft pick. The winners of those fights have plenty of reason to feel good about themselves, but the one who secures the top pick in the draft should only take so much pride in it.
For as much value as there is in selecting first, you have to be the worst of 32 teams to do so. Securing the first pick this year should be viewed as even more of a potential franchise-turning point than in other years. The 2027 quarterback class has been ballyhooed for some time now as a loaded crop with perhaps multiple future elite franchise signal-callers.
Having the choice of the bunch is a luxury, even if it means the road to get there came with a whole lot of losses. Here are the five teams that figure to compete the toughest for the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. Jeff Hafley is a good coach who, like he did at Boston College, finds himself in a rough situation.
This is a developmental year for the NFL's youngest roster, and Hafley should be trusted to deliver some promise on the defensive side of the ball. But with such an empty cupboard across the roster's entirety, it would require a masterclass in coaching to even pull the Dolphins out of the AFC East's basement. Even if Malik Willis hits as a full-time starting quarterback, there just is not enough talent around him to maximize that breakout.
De'Von Achane can shoulder a heavy load, but the wide receiver group is quite clearly the league's worst. The schedule is a grind, which does no favors for an undermanned team. Catching the Jets twice helps, but battling a pair of Super Bowl contenders in the Bills and Patriots should account for four losses.
Drawing the entire NFC North and AFC West hurts, too, considering those divisions are deep with likely playoff squads. There is some real skill position talent in the desert this year between Jeremiyah Love, Trey McBride and perhaps even a breakout-ready Marvin Harrison Jr. The defense has a couple of pieces to like in Josh Sweat and Budda Baker.
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