It might take two or three years for teams to get an accurate grade on their 2018 draft class, but it was a ratings success in Metro Detroit for the three networks who carried the draft.
The first round of the draft on April 26 had a combined overall rating of 9 for the three networks – Fox (WJBK-Fox2 in Metro Detroit), ESPN and NFL Network.
Not surprisingly, the combined peak rating of 12.3 came in the 10-10:30 p.m. slot when the Detroit Lions took offensive lineman Frank Ragnow of Arkansas with the 20th pick overall.
Fox2 was No. 1 in Metro Detroit with a 3.9 overall rating and a peak of 5.7. ESPN was next with a 3.7 overall rating and a peak of 5.0. The NFL Network had a 1.4 overall rating and a peak of 1.6.
Based on Nielsen's research, a ratings point equals 17,794 households in Metro Detroit. With 2.5 people per household, a peak rating of 12.3 means a little more than 547,000 people in Metro Detroit were watching when Ragnow was drafted.
