NFL Draft First Round Gives Drafted Players a Social Media Bump

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On Thursday night, 32 young men were made into professional football players, drafted in the first round of what was a wild 2022 NFL Draft on sports betting apps.

And with that, they’re no longer popular college kids, but businessmen with brands and reach. Thursday’s social media numbers displayed that. All 32 players drafted in the opening round of the 2022 NFL Draft saw a bump in both their Instagram and Twitter followers. 

On Twitter, that included two players who joined the site that day. LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., drafted third overall by the Houston Texans, went from zero followers to 9,800 in the span of a few hours. And Penn State WR Jahan Dotson, taken by the Commanders at No. 16, went from none to 5,800. Dotson also gained a sizeable 13,300 Instagram followers on Thursday night. 

But that’s nothing compared to the reach some players gained after the first round. The top 14 players selected in the first round gained at least 10,000 Instagram followers. One of them – QB Kenny Pickett –  gained over 50,000. 

Bookies.com compiled a before and after list of each of the 32 first-round picks. 

Instagram

Drafted Player's Instagram Followers

PlayerPre Draft FollowersPost Draft FollowerDifference
Kenny Pickett73,500132,00058,500
Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner224,000260,00036,000
Kayvon Thibodeaux100,000133,00033,000
Aidan Hutchinson104,000126,00022,000
Jameson Williams152,000172,00020,000
Kyle Hamilton50,00069,90019,900
Drake London53,30072,50019,200
Chris Olave184,000203,00019,000
Jordan Davis133,000152,00019,000
Evan Neal29,20047,60018,400
Garrett Wilson137,000154,00017,000
Trent McDuffie9,00024,10015,100
Tyler Smith1,10014,60013,500
Jahan Dotson51,90065,20013,300
Travon Walker26,80040,00013,200
Jermaine Johnson30,30042,90012,600
Ikem "Ickey" Ekwonu12,80024,50011,700
Charles Cross6,80018,50011,700
Derek Stingley Jr.160,000170,00010,000
Quay Walker14,20023,7009,500
Kaiir Elam28,90038,4009,500
Treylon Burks38,90047,2008,300
George Karlaftis10,30018,2007,900
Devonte Wyatt12,40019,4007,000
Lewis Cine17,30023,2005,900
Devin Lloyd15,00019,9004,900
Cole Strange5,60010,3004,700
Zion Johnson3,4008,0004,600
Tyler Linderbaum10,20014,7004,500
Trevor Penning11,60015,3003,700
Kenyon Green4,9007,6002,700
Daxton Hill24,10026,7002,600

1. Kenny Pickett, QB, Steelers: +50,000

Quarterbacks are often the center of attention in NFL betting, so it makes sense that the top gainer from the first round was the lone QB selected. What makes his story extra special is that he played college ball at the University of Pittsburgh, which plays their home games at Heinz Field, home of the Steelers. 

2. Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, CB, Jets: +36,000

“Sauce” Gardner was considered by many experts to be the top cornerback in the draft. When the Texans took Stingley, that made the pick by the New York Jets at No. 4 a little sweeter. Jets fans – and there are a lot of them in the nation’s biggest metro area – embraced him quickly. Gardner was already a known commodity on Instagram. He had the most followers prior to the draft of anyone selected and now tips the scales are over 260,000. He's not afraid of bringing attention to himself, evidenced by his chain on draft night.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner (@saucegardner)
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3. Kayvon Thibodeaux, Edge, Giants: +33,000

According to NFL odds, Thibodeaux wasn’t expected to be available when New York selected at No. 5 overall. But with cornerbacks going at Nos. 3 and 4, then opened the door for the Giants to take what many believed to be a top-two level pick and a premier pass rusher. Giants fans latched on quickly. 

4. Aidan Hutchinson, Edge, Lions: +22,000

Hutchinson was already known in Detroit circles; he played high school ball in suburban Detroit before embarking on an All-American career at Michigan. But locals really latched on when the Lions were able to secure him at No. 2 overall. 

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aidan Hutchinson (@aidanhutch97)

5. Jameson Williams, WR, Lions: +20,000

Detroit had itself a day at the NFL Draft’s first round, and fans got swept up in the excitement. Less than an hour after getting Hutchinson, the Lions were able to nab Alabama’s Williams, who may end up being the top wideout once he returns from an injury that may keep him off the field at the start of the 2022 season.

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Twitter

Drafted Player's Twitter Followers

PlayerPre Draft FollowersPost Draft FollowerDifference
Jordan Davis25,20048,50023,300
Kenny Pickett26,50047,30020,800
Sauce Gardner27,80043,80016,000
Trent McDuffie3,80017,60013,800
Chris Olave69,20082,50013,300
Kayvon Thibodeaux37,70050,70013,000
Kaiir Elam11,70023,20011,500
Derek Stingley Jr.09,8009,800
Kyle Hamilton16,60025,1008,500
George Karlaftis8,40016,8008,400
Garrett Wilson51,30059,3008,000
Charles Cross3,90011,7007,800
Tyler Smith5007,9007,400
Jameson Williams14,00021,0007,000
Aidan Hutchinson39,70046,0006,300
Jermaine Johnson23,80030,0006,200
Quay Walker15,60021,7006,100
Travon Walker6,40012,4006,000
Ickey Ekwonu3,4009,2005,800
Jahan Dotson05,8005,800
Evan Neal17,00038,4005,700
Lewis Cine12,80018,0005,200
Drake London8,90013,5004,600
Treylon Burks19,10023,4004,300
Zion Johnson1,2005,0003,800
Devonte Wyatt4,6008,0003,400
Daxton Hill14,40017,4003,000
Trevor Penning2,0004,2002,200
Cole Strange1,3002,8001,500
Devin Lloyd5,0006,2001,200
Kenyon Green7,0007,900900
Daxton Hill7,5008,400900

1. Jordan Davis, DL, Eagles: +23,300

The mammoth 6-foot-6, 341-pound Davis was taken at No. 13 by the Eagles, and Philly fans were glad to see it. Davis spent most of Thursday night retweeting love for his former teammates also drafted, but that didn’t stop by Twitter following to double in size. 

2. Kenny Pickett, QB, Steelers: +20,800

Again, being a QB helped. So, too, did the great story of being drafted by the town you played college ball for. How he reacted after being taken by the Steelers only made it more memorable. 

Kenny Pickett is a Pittsburgh SteelerThe moment he gets the call and finds out he’s being selected with the 20th overall pick in the #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/Zk38Gi2Ey9— Johnny McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) April 29, 2022

3. Ahmad Gardner, CB, Jets: +16,000

Gardner gained over 50,000 combined followers on the two social sites and made his love of the next step in his career known in all caps. 

I AM SO EXCITED TO BE A JET MAN!!! I CAN’T WAIT TO GET TO WORK AND INTERACT WITH THE COMMUNITY‼️ #TakeFlight— SAUCE (@iamSauceGardner) April 29, 2022

4. Kayvon Thibodeaux, Edge, Giants: +13,000

Thibodeaux wasn’t overly active on Twitter for draft night, just two retweets and a note to a friend. That didn’t stop zealous Giants fans to get on board with their newest pass-rusher. 

5. Trent McDuffie, CB, Chiefs: +13,800

The Chiefs traded up to land McDuffie, who famously allowed just 16 receptions for 111 yards and zero TDs in all of 2021 for the Washington Huskies. Chiefs Kingdom responded in kind. McDuffie’s Twitter following was at 3,800 on draft day and is approaching 20,000 just 24 hours later. 

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