The 2024 NFL Draft set multiple records in the first round on Thursday night, including the most offensive players selected. In the process, the 2024 NFL Draft TV ratings for Round 1 also provided the National Football with some of its best numbers in years.
There was extra attention on this year’s class because of the quarterback. It lived up to the billing, with Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears), Jayden (Daniels (Washington Commanders) and Drake Maye (New England Patriots) selected with the first three picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Related: 2024 NFL Draft results
What made it a night to remember, and clearly impact the 2024 NFL Draft TV ratings, was three other quarterbacks taken within the first 12 picks. Because of it, the NFL and its broadcast partners enjoyed a very special Thursday night.
How many people watched the NFL Draft 2024?
Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft averaged 11.63 million viewers with a combined 6.1 rating, making it the most-watched first round since the 2021 NFL Draft (12.6 million). It’s still a long way off from where the numbers were in 2020 (15.6 million), but the NFL has now averaged at least 11 million viewers for Round 1 seven times in the last eight years.
History of NFL Draft TV ratings
- 2024 NFL Draft: 11.63 million avg. viewers (Round 1)
- 2023 NFL Draft: 11.29 million avg. viewers (Round 1), 34.3 million viewers combined (Rounds 1-7)
- 2022 NFL Draft: 10.03 million avg. viewers (Round 1), 5.2 million avg. viewers (Rounds 1-7)
- 2021 NFL Draft: 12.6 million avg. viewers (Round 1), 6.1 million avg. viewers (Rounds 1-7)
- 2020 NFL Draft: 15.6 million avg. viewers (Round 1), 8.4 million avg. viewers (Rounds 1-7)
- 2019 NFL Draft: 11.1 million avg. viewers (Round 1), 6.1 million avg. viewers (Rounds 1-7)
- 2018 NFL Draft: 11.2 million avg. viewers (Round 1), 5.5 million avg. viewers (Rounds 1-7)
- 2017 NFL Draft: 12.4 million avg. viewers (Round 1)
Also Read: WNBA TV ratings
What’s particularly interesting is where the numbers came from. According to SportsMediaWatch, NFL Network’s average viewership (1.56 million, 0.7 rating stayed on par with its numbers from 2023. However, ESPN experienced a 1 percent dip year-to-year (5.56 million, 2.8 rating). The driving force behind the improved TV ratings is ABC, with the network averaging 4.51 million viewers and a 2.55 rating.
It’s not too surprising that the NFL Draft set some of its highest TV ratings in years, given Williams was a marquee name who even casual fans recognized. Plus, six quarterbacks were taken within the first 12 picks for the first time in NFL Draft history and a record 23 offensive players were drafted in Round 1, the most ever.
Related: NASCAR ratings
It will be interesting to see if the 2024 NFL Draft TV ratings took a hit for Day 2 on Friday night. The top six quarterbacks were all taken, eliminating a lot of the intrigue. As for how the NFL Draft compares to other sports the 2023 NBA Draft averaged 3.743 million viewers, making it the most-watched ever on any network, but that was all driven by all-time great prospect Victor Wembanyama. The 2023 MLB Draft averaged 744,000 viewers.