We have simply entered Week 8 of the NFL season, however — since that is almost midway by means of the common season — some groups are already just about cooked.
There are 4 groups with only one win: the New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, and Carolina Panthers. In the event you’re a fan of any of these groups, as an illustration, your 2024 season is just about achieved, barring an enormous miracle. And when you root for one of many seven two-win groups — the Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, L.A. Rams, and New Orleans Saints — then you definitely most likely want a barely smaller miracle. Because the saying goes, there’s at all times subsequent yr.
As a matter of reality, it could be time to begin fascinated by subsequent yr. Pushing off your hopes to the subsequent season is a story as previous as time. As a fan of the Philadelphia 76ers — maybe the sports activities franchise most related with tanking — I empathize with followers of unhealthy NFL groups who’ve already turned their consideration to the 2025 NFL Draft.
We have taken the time to gather a number of the greatest on-line sources for followers of groups that stink that can assist you higher put together for subsequent yr’s draft. In any case, hope springs everlasting.
Tankathon
The NFL has comparatively easy draft guidelines in contrast with the NBA’s arcane lottery system. However Tankathon stays an indispensable useful resource for groups that suck. It is a web site that tracks the place every group would stand within the subsequent yr’s draft, in response to the outcomes to this point within the season.
Here is how the 2025 draft would look proper now, as an illustration.
Mashable Prime Tales
Congrats, Pats followers.
Credit score: Tankathon
Scroll down a bit, and you too can discover Tankathon’s Mock Draft for 2025, which is much too early to take critically however nonetheless enjoyable to have a look at.
The Panthers attempting once more at QB is fascinating.
Credit score: Tankathon
In case your NFL group is trash, consider Tankathon as a hub of hope. It is the place you go to remind your self that no less than a very good draft decide is coming. It is a spot the place you get to think about the doubtless good gamers of the longer term slightly than the unhealthy ones of the current.
The Ringer’s NFL draft protection
I am an enormous fan of The Ringer’s NFL protection, particularly their podcast — hosted by Danny Kelly, Danny Heifetz, and Craig Horlbeck — that oscillates between protecting the draft and fantasy soccer, relying on the time of yr. Proper now, the pod is centered on fantasy soccer, however it’ll change over because the draft nears. Nonetheless, the outlet nonetheless gives in-depth protection of the faculty video games and the draft, which you could find on its NFL Draft touchdown web page. The location additionally has maybe the very best and most intuitive draft information round. The 2025 model hasn’t been launched but, however it at all times options extremely in-depth scouting stories, digestible summaries, and an easy-to-navigate design.
Draft consultants
Now’s the time to begin beefing up on the faculty gamers your group would possibly draft. There’s an entire cottage trade primarily based round prognosticating gamers’ transition from school to the professionals.
Here is a fast record, with hyperlinks, to a number of the NFL draft people I’ve learn, listened to, or in any other case appreciated through the years. Word that a few of these individuals additionally cowl the NFL at giant, so it’s possible you’ll get various content material.
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Todd McShay, the previous ESPN stalwart, simply launched a podcast on The Ringer.
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Dane Brugler, NFL draft analyst at The Athletic, places out a yearly complete information dubbed The Beast.
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Lance Zierlein does NFL draft protection for the league’s media outlet.
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Ben Solak, who covers the NFL as an entire for ESPN, does an excellent job with the draft and breaking down how the sport works for the typical fan.
Mock drafts
As beforehand famous, Tankathon has a continually up to date mock draft, however it’s removed from alone. In case your group is terrible, it is enjoyable to continually test in on who you would possibly take within the draft, in response to totally different shops. Even this early within the season, you could find mocks on CBS, Fox Sports activities, and ESPN. And you may maintain Googling all year long as a result of many shops replace their mock drafts weekly.
YouTube highlights
Granted, this one’s a bit kooky, but when your group is crap, then YouTube highlights could be simply the factor you want. Hear me out: As an alternative of lamenting over your unhealthy group, watch previous clips from after they had been good. Positive, the Patriots are godawful now, however you may watch half-hour of each single landing go Tom Brady threw to Rob Gronkowski. Sure, the Titans are hapless for the time being, however you may nonetheless watch clips of Derrick Henry operating over individuals whereas carrying a Tennessee uniform.
Your soccer current would possibly stink, however no less than you might have the longer term draft prognostications and previous triumphs to tide you over till subsequent season.
