NFL Draft Order if season ended today: Steelers' first-round pick is now set in stone

The Wild Card round of the NFL Playoffs is in the books, and the Pittsburgh Steelers were one of six teams that were sent packing. In the coming weeks, the Steelers will join the majority of the NFL as they go back to the drawing board and begin to make plans to improve in 2024.

If there's a bright side to a playoff loss for a team that was a long shot anyway, it's that Pittsburgh moves up a few spots when it comes to the pecking order in the 2024 NFL Draft. This may seem insignificant, but this increased draft stock could be the difference in reshaping their future with another outstanding draft class like the one we saw in 2023.

While we will have to wait several weeks for the full first-round draft order to be finalized, we now know exactly where the Steelers will be selecting in the first round this year. Here's a look at the NFL Draft order if the season ended today, according to Tankathon.com.

NFL Draft order if season ended before Divisional Round:

1. Chicago Bears (via Carolina Panthers)
2. Washington Commanders
3. New England Patriots
4. Arizona Cardinals
5. Los Angeles Chargers
6. New York Giants
7. Tennessee Titans
8. Atlanta Falcons
9. Chicago Bears
10. New York Jets
11. Minnesota Vikings
12. Denver Broncos
13. Las Vegas Raiders
14. New Orleans Saints
15. Indianapolis Colts
16. Seattle Seahawks
17. Jacksonville Jaguars
18. Cincinnati Bengals
19. LA Rams
20. Pittsburgh Steelers
21. Miami Dolphins
22. Philadelphia Eagles
23. Houston Texans (via Cleveland Browns)
24. Dallas Cowboys
25. Green Bay Packers
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
27. Arizona Cardinals (via Houston Texans)
28. Kansas City Chiefs
29. Buffalo Bills
30. Detroit Lions
31. San Francisco 49ers
32. Baltimore Ravens

Ahead of the Wild Card round of the playoffs, the Pittsburgh Steelers were on track to earn the 23rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. However, after a loss to the Bills and a few upsets in the playoffs over the weekend, the Steelers moved up higher than most expected.

Because of their 10-7 record, there was a scenario in which the Steelers didn't move up at all. To increase their draft capital, Pittsburgh was aided by upset wins from the Packers, Buccaneers, and Texans (whose pick belongs to the Cardinals). We now can say that the Steelers's first-round pick is etched in stone, barring a trade, and they will hold the 20th overall selection in April's draft.

There wasn't room to move much higher either. The last selection among teams that did not make the NFL Playoffs was pick 18, which belongs to the Cincinnati Bengals. The only other thing that could have gone Pittsburgh's way in the Wild Card round (besides a win against the Bills, of course) would have been if the Rams upset the Lions. If LA was able to pull off the win in their close NFC Wild Card Game, the Steelers would own the 19th overall pick right now.

Regardless, this is as much draft capital as any of us could have expected after we found out that the Pittsburgh Steelers were making the playoffs. On a side note, it's worth mentioning that Pittsburgh also owns back-to-back picks in the fourth round. This was made possible by trading OG Kevin Dotson to the Rams.

With the sun setting on their season, Steelers fans are in full draft mode. They can take comfort in knowing that they have a top-20 pick this year -- even after a 10-win season and a playoff berth.