The official draft order (w/minor changes)

[AceofSpades]

In 1999, Seattle had our draft pick from the Galloway trade at No. 19. The Seahawks, despite the Cowboys going 8-8 that season and making the playoffs, drafted one spot ahead of the Carolina Panthers, who did not make the playoffs.

Didn't Carolina get that pick from the Dolphins?

 

[Dale]

Didn't Carolina get that pick from the Dolphins?

Ehh...you're right. There was a trade involved.

 

[Q_the_man]

Right on Ace, We get # 18 regardless. Minn and the Rams are in the Playoffs, why are yall trying to cheat ur own team.... 18 AND 11. PERIOD

 

[AdamJT13]

Right on Ace, We get # 18 regardless. Minn and the Rams are in the Playoffs, why are yall trying to cheat ur own team.... 18 AND 11. PERIOD

Nobody is trying to "cheat" the Cowboys. The simple fact is, we'll draft 20th unless Minnesota or St. Louis makes the Super Bowl. Teams DO NOT drop out of their segment (all teams with the same record) unless they make the Super Bowl. Simply making the playoffs DOES NOT bump an 8-8 team below a 9-7 non-playoff team in the draft.

For reference, check the 2000 draft. Dallas and Detroit made the playoffs in the NFC at 8-8. Kansas City missed the AFC playoffs at 9-7. But Kansas City's draft pick was still after Dallas' pick and Detroit's pick. Dallas drafted 19th (Seattle had our first-rounder), Detroit drafted 20th and Kansas City drafted 21st.

 

[Razz]

Unless the Rams or Vikings go to the Super Bowl, our pick from Buffalo will be 20th. The ONLY teams that are not put in order based on their record are the Super Bowl winner and loser. Every other team remains in their "segment" -- their group of teams with the same record.

The simple fact is, we'll draft 20th unless Minnesota or St. Louis makes the Super Bowl. Teams DO NOT drop out of their segment (all teams with the same record) unless they make the Super Bowl. Simply making the playoffs DOES NOT bump an 8-8 team below a 9-7 non-playoff team in the draft.

For reference, check the 2000 draft. Dallas and Detroit made the playoffs in the NFC at 8-8. Kansas City missed the AFC playoffs at 9-7. But Kansas City's draft pick was still after Dallas' pick and Detroit's pick. Dallas drafted 19th (Seattle had our first-rounder), Detroit drafted 20th and Kansas City drafted 21st.

Adam is correct, although his explanation leaves out some info which affects Dallas pick.
He is absolutely correct on non-SB teams remaining in their 'segment' (teams with same regular season record).
BUT, the playoff teams draft at the END of their segment.
Take a look at Seattle's slot in the GBN order. Within their segment (teams that finished 9-7) they're shown as drafting last.


[size=-1]20X[/size] [size=-1]Dallas (from Buffalo**)[/size] [size=-1]9-7[/size] [size=-1].512[/size] [size=-1]21X[/size] [size=-1]Jacksonville[/size] [size=-1]9-7[/size] [size=-1].527[/size] [size=-1]22X[/size] [size=-1]Baltimore[/size] [size=-1]9-7[/size] [size=-1].551[/size] [size=-1]23X[/size] [size=-1]Seattle[/size] [size=-1]9-7[/size] [size=-1].445[/size]
If Seattle hadn't made the playoffs, they'd draft 20th because of their easier SOS within their segment, and Buffalo's pick would be #21. If Buffalo had made te playoffs, they'd draft last in their segment.

Also, in later rounds, the order is rotated within the segment, with the first team in the segment in the previous round moving to the end, and the rest all moving up 1 slot.

Here's the NFL teibreaking procedure for the draft:
TIE-BREAKING PROCEDURE FOR SELECTION MEETING
If two or more clubs are tied in the selection order, the strength-of-schedule tie breaker is applied, subject to the following exceptions for playoff clubs:

1. The Super Bowl winner is last and the Super Bowl loser next-to-last.
2. Any non-Super Bowl playoff club involved in a tie shall be assigned priority within its segment below that of non-playoff clubs and in the order that the playoff clubs exited from the playoffs. Thus, within a tied segment a playoff club that loses in the Wild-Card game will have priority over a playoff club that loses in the Divisional playoff game, which in turn will have priority over a club that loses in the Conference Championship game. If two tied clubs exited the playoffs in the same round, the tie is broken by strength of schedule.

If any ties cannot be broken by strength of schedule, the divisional or conference tie breakers, whichever are applicable, are applied. Any ties that still exist are broken by a coin flip.

 

[jazzcat22]

Dallas would select 18th due to Minnesota and St. Louis making the playoffs.

When the Rams and Vikings get eliminated from the playoffs, they would move back to the top 20, sliding Buffalo down.

 

[jazzcat22]

GBN knows this stuff cold. Why would whatever happens to Minn and StL in the playoffs affect the draft position of Buffalo, Jax and Baltimore who didn't make the playoffs if that were the case.

If you look back at what Hos posted, the issue is that the draft will go off roughly as listed. The major exception being possible re-slotting for the SB teams who pick 31 and 32. Thus, the only way our pick changes from 20th is if Minn or St. Louis advance to the SB in which case we will pick 19th.

True. I've been trying to say this for the past few weeks.