The 2024 NFL Draft has gone down in the history books.
The event saw several records set in regards to draft picks, with the most quarterbacks taken in the top eight picks (four), the most in the top 10 (five) and tying the record for greatest number of shifts taken in the first round. (six). We also saw the longest sequence of choices without a quarterback coming off the board, between Bo Nix going 12th overall to the Denver Broncos and Spencer Rattler going to the New Orleans Saints at 150th overall.
Players and teams weren’t the only ones setting records: fans also left their mark this year.
More than 700,000 NFL fanatics were in Detroit during the three-day event to see who their favorite teams would add to the roster, setting a new record. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced record attendance on Saturday, the third and final day of the draft.
The first day of the draft had 275,000 people and the total number reached 550,000 on the second day, setting a Day 1 and 2 attendance record previously set by Nashville in 2019. Prior to this year, the total attendance record had also been established by Nashville. , when 600,000 fans descended on Music City to cheer on their favorite franchises.
The NFL Draft was a free event, but with so many fans in the city, it was expected to generate more than $160 million in economic impact, according to the Associated Press.
The draft was long held in New York, but it began offering offers to other cities in 2015. Since then, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, Nashville, Cleveland, Las Vegas, Kansas City and Detroit have held the three-day event. Green Bay is expected to host the 2025 NFL Draft.
