By the time the Las Vegas Raiders played their Week 18 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, they had already secured the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. That allowed them to play freely, without the pressure of having to lose.
The Raiders ended up beating a hampered Chiefs team on a game-winning field goal from former kicker Daniel Carlson. However, that kick actually did have serious ramifications for the Raiders, and several other teams.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke down what that kick meant across the NFL ahead of the draft.
“When Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson booted a career-long 60-yard field goal to beat the Chiefs 14-12 on Jan. 4, Las Vegas celebrated,” Schefter wrote. “But the Raiders will be paying the price for the kick and win this week. It meant the Raiders finished with the same 3-14 record as the Jets, Cardinals and Titans. Because of strength of schedule, the Raiders will hold the No. 1 pick Thursday night. But because they had the same record as those other three teams, the four franchises will rotate the top picks in the other rounds.
“The Raiders will move to the fourth pick in the second round when the Jets have the top pick, the third pick in the third round when the Cardinals have the top pick and the second pick in the fourth round when the Titans have the first pick. Had Carlson missed the kick and the Raiders lost the game, Las Vegas would have had the first pick at the top of each round. And the division rival Chiefs wouldn’t have been in the top 10. Pretty impactful kick more than four months later.”
Not Much Raiders Could’ve Done
If the Raiders were trying to tank, they wouldn’t have even given Carlson the chance to kick the game-winning field goal against Kansas City. However, former head coach Pete Carroll likely knew he was on his way out and Carlson was on an expiring contract.
Neither of them had any reason to try and help the Raiders’ draft position. It would’ve been nice for the team to have the top pick in every round, but it’s not the end of the world. They’re still picking in the top four of each round, which should allow them to find some impact players.
No. 1 Pick Is What Matters Most
At the end of the day, the Raiders are just happy to have the No. 1 pick. That lets them control the top of the draft. The team doesn’t have to stress about all these different scenarios when the draft starts. They can simply select the player they want.
That’s good news for a team that needs a franchise quarterback. Many expect the Raiders to select former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the top pick. If he hits, this draft class is considered a success, even if no other players pan out.
The Raiders are still in a position to surround Mendoza with solid talent with the rest of their draft picks. They have to be feeling good about their status heading into the draft.
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