The first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night drew an average of 12.1 million viewers across TV and digital platforms, marking a 6% rise from last year.
This marks the highest viewership for day one since 2021, when the average audience was 12.6 million.
Thursday’s coverage was broadcast on ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes, and the league’s digital channels. According to the league and Nielsen, a total of 34.3 million viewers watched at least part of the first round.