A look at the 2011 NFL Draft order

This is a quick story I did for SB Nation Atlanta.

It's week 17 in the NFL which means at the end of the day playoff seeding will be determined, but NFL draft order will be close to being finalized. When it comes the NFC South, the only team that knows where they are drafting in April is the Carolina Panthers who will have the No. 1 pick due to their 2-13 record. As for the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they will have a more clear picture one the day ends.

If Tampa Bay does not reach the playoffs, they will pick in the 18-20 range based on their 9-6 record. New Orleans and Atlanta have clinched a playoff spot and their draft position won't be determined until the playoffs include. So if everything goes right for Atlanta or New Orleans, they could have the last pick or next to last pick when it's all said and done.

One other position to watch is the No. 2 pick as the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals all have 4-11 records going into their games today. The Bengals take on Baltimore, Buffalo faces the Jets and Denver will take on San Diego. So it should be interesting because all three teams could lose. Here's a look at the current draft order via about.com.

1. Carolina Panthers (2-13)
2. Denver Broncos (4-11)
3. Cincinnati Bengals (4-11)
4. Buffalo Bills (4-11)
5. Arizona Cardinals (5-10)
6. San Francisco 49ers (5-10)
7. Dallas Cowboys (5-10)
8. Houston Texans (5-10)
9. Detroit Lions (5-10)
10. Cleveland Browns (5-10)
11. Seattle Seahawks (6-9)
12. Tennessee Titans (6-9)
13. Washington Redskins (6-9)
14. Minnesota Vikings (6-9)
15. New England Patriots (from Oakland 7-8)
16. Miami Dolphins (7-8)
17. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-7)
18. San Diego Chargers (8-7)
19. New York Giants (9-6)
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-6)

Order of the following teams to be determined by results of the playoffs.

21. St. Louis Rams (7-8)
22. Indianapolis Colts (9-6)
23. Green Bay Packers (9-6)
24. Kansas City Chiefs(10-5)
25. Philadelphia Eagles (10-5)
26. New York Jets (10-5)
27. New Orleans Saints (11-4)
28. Chicago Bears (11-4)
29. Baltimore Ravens(11-4)
30. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4)
31. Atlanta Falcons (12-3)
32. New England Patriots (13-2)

All ties broken by a coin flip.