When the 2024 NFL Draft kicks off this month in downtown Detroit, few fanbases will be as excited to tune into the seven-round event as the ones cheering for the hometown Detroit Lions. The event, which Detroit is hosting for the first time, comes on the heels of a historic season for coach Dan Campbell’s bunch and a winning campaign for those who wagered on the team in Michigan sports betting.
We wanted to know which fanbases were the most excited for the 2024 NFL Draft. Note: The search was done from April 8-15, 2024; here is the BetMichigan.com list with an explanation below:
Fanbases Most Excited for 2024 NFL Draft
Using Google Trends, we ranked the top 10 most excited fanbases for the 2024 NFL Draft, which runs from April 27-29 in the Motor City. Then, out of a list of players projected to be selected in Round 1, we ranked the top five players that the Lions fanbase is most frequently searching. All rankings are based on search interest score, compared to other topics. The search terms were “NFL Draft,” and each player’s name.
The Lions are among the top four or five Super Bowl favorites at Michigan sportsbook apps going into the season. And based on our research, the Lions have the top search interest in the 2024 NFL Draft online among the 32 fanbases of the NFL. Lions fans scored 100 in search interest, beating out their NFC North division rivals from Green Bay, who had a score of 93.
Where Do Detroit Lions Draft In 2024?
This year, Detroit has seven draft picks, including the 29th selection in the opening round. They also own picks in the second round (No. 61 overall), third (Nos. 73 and 92), fifth (No. 163), sixth (No. 204) and seventh (No. 249) rounds.
Fresh off a 12-5 campaign that saw Detroit win their division for the first time since 1993, Campbell’s squad will look to round out its already talent-rich roster in this month’s draft.
BetMGM Sportsbook Michigan has the San Francisco 49ers as the favorite to win the 2024-25 NFL title at +600 odds. The reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs are next at +650.
At all of the major sports betting operators statewide, the Super Bowl participants in February are favored to meet again in Super Bowl 59, which will be in New Orleans on Feb. 9, 2025. But the oddsmakers at various sportsbooks don’t agree on a clear favorite. For instance, the Chiefs at the top of the board with +550 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook Michigan, followed by the 49ers at +600.
Fans of NFC North teams have cornered the market on draft excitement, After Detroit and Green Bay, fans of the Minnesota Vikings (score of 90) rated third on our list, followed by fans of the Chicago Bears (63).
Rounding out the top 10 when it comes to draft excitement are fans of the Philadelphia Eagles (61 search interest score), Kansas City Chiefs (57), Cleveland Browns (55), Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos (53 each) and New England Patriots (52).
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Lion Fans’ Top 5 Most Anticipated Players
2024 NFL Draft Top Prospects
As far as draft prospects who interest Lions fans most, 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams of USC (and Oklahoma before that) is the top pick. He has a search interest score of eight among Detroit backers.
Two other quarterbacks come next, Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and LSU’s Jayden Daniels (with six search interest points each). After that we have Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt (four) and North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye (two). Keep up with the 2024 NFL Draft at BetMichigan.com and check out our best Michigan sports betting promos as well.
USA Today photo by Junfu Han
