The Cleveland Browns won’t make the playoffs this year, but the team could still secure a top 10 spot in the 2020 NFL Draft.
The Browns would have the 12th pick if the season ended after Week 16.
Three other NFL teams — the Atlanta Falcons, the Denver Broncos and the New York Jets — also have 6-9 records.
To move into the top 10, the Browns would likely have to lose Sunday’s regular-season finale to the Cincinnati Bengals, who have secured the No. 1 overall pick.
The Browns have a selection in every round of the 2020 draft except for the fifth.
It includes two picks in the third round.
Cleveland also has a pick in every round of the 2021 draft, including two selections in the fourth, fifth and seventh rounds.
In 2019, the Browns did not have a first-round pick because they traded it to acquire wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
Each year, the previous season’s records determine the draft order.
Ties are broken by strength of schedule, which is calculated by the aggregate winning percentage of a team’s opponents.
The league determines draft slots 21-32 by how the playoff teams finish.
After Week 16, here would be the order of the first 20 selections of the 2020 NFL Draft (each team’s strength of schedule is in parentheses):
1. Cincinnati Bengals 1-14 (.560)
2. Washington Redskins 3-12 (.498)
3. Detroit Lions 3-11-1 (.506)
4. New York Giants 4-11 (.471)
5. Miami Dolphins 4-11 (.492)
6. Jacksonville Jaguars 5-10 (.483)
7. Los Angeles Chargers 5-10 (.510)
8. Carolina Panthers 5-10 (.548)
9. Arizona Cardinals 5-9-1 (.531)
10. New York Jets 6-9 (.475)
11. Denver Broncos 6-9 (.519)
12. Cleveland Browns 6-9 (.527)
13. Atlanta Falcons 6-9 (.552)
14. Oakland Raiders 7-8 (.473)
15. Dallas Cowboys 7-8 (.477)
16. Indianapolis Colts 7-8 (488)
17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-8 (.500)
18. Oakland Raiders via trade with the Chicago Bears 7-8 (.508)
19. Miami Dolphins via trade with Pittsburgh Steelers 8-7 (.502)
20. Jacksonville Jaguars via trade with the Los Angeles Rams 8-7 (.538)
LSU Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow is the favorite to be the first overall pick.
Odds Shark listed Burrow at -300, which means a $300 bet would win $100.
Many people expect the Bengals to draft Burrow, who grew up in The Plains, Ohio, and attended Athens High School.
Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Chase Young is second-favorite and Georgia Bulldogs offensive tackle Andrew Thomas is the third-favorite.
Odds to be the 1st overall pick (BetOnline):
Joe Burrow -300
Chase Young +175
Andrew Thomas +1600 https://t.co/9C7pDSRPF3— Odds Shark (@OddsShark) December 22, 2019
The NFL Combine is scheduled from Feb. 23, 2020-March 2, 2020, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Las Vegas will host the NFL Draft for the first time ever in 2020.
The draft is expected to be held from April 23-25.
NEXT: Kevin Stefanski Teases Browns Will Add Draft Picks This Year
