Round one of the 2026 NFL Draft averaged 13.2 million viewers across all linear and digital platforms on Thursday, April 23. That ranks as the third most-watched opening round since the current format launched in 2010.
The number trails only 2020’s pandemic-era peak and last year’s record-setting Day 1 in Green Bay. Still, it beats the 2024 Draft by 8%.
However, the figure does mean a 3% dip from the previous year in comparison.
The highlight of the evening was Pat McAfee’s show and how it continues to pull serious weight. The seventh edition of The Pat McAfee Show Draft Spectacular drove more than 54 million total minutes consumed across YouTube, TikTok, X, and the ESPN App on Day 1.
It also generated 2.2 million total views. McAfee’s footprint in the Draft ecosystem keeps growing.
Pittsburgh’s attendance numbers were equally impressive. The 2026 NFL Draft drew a record 805,000 fans across three days. Thursday alone brought in a record 320,000 for Round 1.
Merchandise sales also broke records. In its first year as the NFL’s retail Draft partner, Fanatics and the NFL surpassed the previous sales record set last year in Green Bay.
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