2025 NFL Draft Order: Another close loss pushes Carolina Panthers closer to number one overall

The Carolina Panthers lost, but that may help them in the future.

Dec 8, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers lost their third consecutive game on Sunday, all by one possession. In each, they had a very real shot at winning the game before ultimately falling. It has all but removed any premature talk of a late playoff push, though they have played better of late. The moral victories, which are just losses, have added up, and they've pushed Carolina even higher on the 2025 NFL Draft board.

Panthers move up in 2025 NFL Draft

If the season ended today, the Carolina Panthers would draft fourth overall. That's up one spot from a week ago after a 22-16 loss on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles. They are currently 3-10, tied with the New England Patriots for the second-worst record in football.

The Pats hold a tiebreaker, which is why they pick third. Ahead of those two teams are the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants at 2-11. The Raiders hold the first overall pick right now. If the Panthers continue losing, they'd have to finish with a worse record than both those teams since they have head-to-head wins over both.

The Panthers get the Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Atlanta Falcons to close out the year. Every loss, assuming they have any more, will potentially go a long way in deciding the pecking order for the upcoming NFL Draft.

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