USAFautanu, Mitchell, Amegadjie – These NFL rookies have seen the biggest increase in Instagram followers post-draft
- Steelers offensive tackle Troy Fautanu tops the list, seeing an increase of 755% in Instagram followers since the draft pick.
- Quinyon Mitchell of the Philadelphia Eagles and Kiran Amegadjie of the Chicago Bears rank second and third, with followers increasing by 727% and 651%, respectively.
- Our analysis of NFL draftee Instagram data reveals the athletes that have seen the biggest surges in following.
Our sports betting experts have enclosed a new study that has revealed which of the 2024 NFL Draft picks have had the largest boost to their Instagram following since being selected. Our team analyzed the Instagram profiles for each of the 2024 NFL Draft picks, both before the event on April 24th and again on the June 6th, to see which of the draftees has seen the largest percentage increase in new Instagram followers.
Top Gainer: Troy Fautanu
Troy Fautanu, drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, saw by far the largest percentage increase in Instagram followers of any athlete on the list, going from 6,045 followers pre-draft to 51,680 followers at present – an increase of 755%.
Second Place: Quinyon Mitchell
Quinyon Mitchell takes the second spot on the list. Selected by the Eagles during the draft, Mitchell has seen his follower count increase from 9,195 to 76,048, an increase of 727% new Instagram followers.
Third Place: Kiran Amegadjie
Third place goes to Chicago Bears’ draftee, Kiran Amegadjie, who saw a 651% increase in Instagram followers. He had a pre-draft follower count of 1,942, which has grown to 14,583 followers at present.
Additional Top Performers
Jordan Morgan, drafted by the Green Bay Packers, takes the fourth spot on the list. Seeing a pre-draft Instagram follower count of 3,346, increasing to 20,557 at present, a 514% increase in new followers.
Fifth place goes to Tyler Guyton, who saw a 428% increase in Instagram followers. Drafted by the Dallas Cowboys, Guyton saw a pre-draft follower count of 7,688, increasing to 40,630 currently.
The remainder of the top ten features Miami Dolphins draftee Patrick Paul, in sixth place, who saw an Instagram follower increase of 394% from pre-draft to present.
The seventh spot on the list goes to Dallas Cowboys draftee Marshawn Kneeland, who has had a 367% uptick in Instagram followers since the draft.
Jaden Hicks, drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs, takes the eighth spot on the list, seeing a 363% increase in followers from pre-draft to present.
Ninth place goes to Pittsburgh Steelers’ draftee, Zach Frazier, who saw a 293% increase in new Instagram followers.
Rounding out the list in tenth place is Dominick Puni. Drafted by the San Francisco 49ers, Puni saw a pre-draft follower count of just 2,426, increasing to 9,177 – working out to a 278% increase in followers.
Notable Decreases in Followers
Interestingly, three athletes were found to have lost followers on Instagram. Brandon Coleman, drafted by the Washington Commanders, initially had a follower count of 123,329, but it dropped to 122,562 – a decrease of 767 followers.
Darius Robinson, drafted by the Arizona Cardinals, also saw a minor decrease in Instagram followers, going from 40,302 before the draft to 40,036 presently - a decrease of 266 followers.
Miami Dolphins’ Jaylen Wright, also saw a follower decrease, albeit very minor. The Dolphins running back saw a post-draft follower count of 1,323, losing two followers between then and now, bringing his post-draft Instagram follower count to 1,321.
The top ten draft-pick players with the largest percentage increase in Instagram followers
| Rank | Athlete | Team | Instagram followers pre-draft (04/24/24) | Instagram followers (06/06/24) | Follower change | ercentage change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Troy Fautanu | Pittsburgh Steelers | 6,045 | 51,680 | +45,635 | +754.92% |
| 2. | Quinyon Mitchell | Philadelphia Eagles | 9,195 | 76,048 | +66,853 | +727.06% |
| 3. | Kiran Amegadjie | Chicago Bears | 1,942 | 14,583 | +12,641 | +650.93% |
| 4. | Jordan Morgan | Green Bay Packers | 3,346 | 20,557 | +17,211 | +514.38% |
| 5. | Tyler Guyton | Dalas Cowboys | 7,688 | 40,630 | +32,942 | +428.49% |
| 6. | Patrick Paul | Miami Dolphins | 7,831 | 38,712 | +30,881 | +394.34% |
| 7. | Marshawn Kneeland | Dallas Cowboys | 2,192 | 10,233 | +8,041 | +366.83% |
| 8. | Jaden Hicks | Kansas City Chiefs | 3,454 | 15,980 | +12,526 | +362.65% |
| 9. | Zach Frazier | Pittsburgh Steelers | 6,858 | 26,923 | +20,065 | +292.58% |
| 10. | Dominick Puni | San Francisco 49ers | 2,426 | 9,177 | +6,751 | +278.28% |
The 10 NFL draft-picks with the most Instagram followers
| Rank | Athlete | Instagram Followers (06/06/24) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Keon Coleman | 542,850 |
| 2. | Xavier Worthy | 510,999 |
| 3. | Caleb Williams | 448,393 |
| 4. | Spencer Rattler | 369,468 |
| 5. | Bo Nix | 346,731 |
| 6. | Jayden Daniels | 286,149 |
| 7. | Drake Maye | 255,526 |
| 8. | Blake Corum | 226,714 |
| 9. | Ricky Pearsall | 222,457 |
| 10. | Malik Nabers | 190,586 |
“In today's digital era, social media platforms like Instagram serve as powerful tools for athletes to cultivate their personal brands and engage directly with their supporters. The notable increase in followers for these draft picks reflects not only the excitement surrounding these athletes' entry into professional football but also the strategic use of social media to connect with fans on a more personal level.
- Patrik Lidin, Head of Content at JustGamblers.
Methodology
We created a list of all NFL draftees, and gathered the exact Instagram follower counts on 24 April 2024, the day before the NFL 2024 Draft, and again on 6 June 2024. The players were then ranked by the total number of new followers gained during this time period as a percentage increase. The players who did not have an Instagram account at the time of recording were not included in the ranking.
NFL 2024 Draft picks ranked by largest increase in Instagram followers
| Rank | Athlete | Instagram followers pre draft (04/24/24) | Instagram followers (06/06/24) | Follower change | Percentage change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Troy Fautanu | 6,045 | 51,680 | 45,635 | 754.92% |
| 2. | Quinyon Mitchell | 9,195 | 76,048 | 66,853 | 727.06% |
| 3. | Kiran Amegadjie | 1,942 | 14,583 | 12,641 | 650.93% |
| 4. | Jordan Morgan | 3,346 | 20,557 | 17,211 | 514.38% |
| 5. | Tyler Guyton | 7,688 | 40,630 | 32,942 | 428.49% |
| 6. | Patrick Paul | 7,831 | 38,712 | 30,881 | 394.34% |
| 7. | Marshawn Kneeland | 2,192 | 10,233 | 8,041 | 366.83% |
| 8. | Jaden Hicks | 3,454 | 15,980 | 12,526 | 362.65% |
| 9. | Zach Frazier | 6,858 | 26,923 | 20,065 | 292.58% |
| 10. | Dominick Puni | 2,426 | 9,177 | 6,751 | 278.28% |
| 11. | Cole Bishop | 8,818 | 32,860 | 24,042 | 272.65% |
| 12. | Xavier Legette | 31,362 | 104,356 | 72,994 | 232.75% |
| 13. | Tyler Nubin | 6,133 | 20,363 | 14,230 | 232.02% |
| 14. | Ricky Pearsall | 68,682 | 222,457 | 153,775 | 223.89% |
| 15. | Taliese Fuaga | 2,764 | 8,645 | 5,881 | 212.77% |
| 16. | Laiatu Latu | 12,480 | 38,419 | 25,939 | 207.84% |
| 17. | Graham Barton | 3,607 | 10,725 | 7,118 | 197.34% |
| 18. | Rome Odunze | 62,805 | 184,436 | 121,631 | 193.66% |
| 19. | Joe Alt | 16,571 | 46,817 | 30,246 | 182.52% |
| 20. | Christian Haynes | 2,988 | 8,376 | 5,388 | 180.32% |
| 21. | Cooper Beebe | 6,107 | 17,041 | 10,934 | 179.04% |
| 22. | Edgerrin Cooper | 10,444 | 28,901 | 18,457 | 176.72% |
| 23. | Keon Coleman | 197,739 | 542,850 | 345,111 | 174.53% |
| 24. | Andru Phillips | 6,319 | 17,215 | 10,896 | 172.43% |
| 25. | Drake Maye | 95,642 | 255,526 | 159,884 | 167.17% |
| 26. | Jared Wiley | 6,956 | 18,547 | 11,591 | 166.63% |
| 27. | Roger Rosengarten | 3,983 | 10,184 | 6,201 | 155.69% |
| 28. | Jonah Elliss | 3,243 | 8,236 | 4,993 | 153.96% |
| 29. | Payton Wilson | 15,597 | 37,176 | 21,579 | 138.35% |
| 30. | Adisa Isaac | 5,446 | 12,933 | 7,487 | 137.48% |
| 31. | Olumuyiwa Fashanu | 12,490 | 29,500 | 17,010 | 136.19% |
| 32. | Braden Fiske | 12,988 | 28,706 | 15,718 | 121.02% |
| 33. | Malachi Corley | 11,255 | 24,873 | 13,618 | 121.00% |
| 34. | Nate Wiggins | 39,763 | 82,627 | 42,864 | 107.80% |
| 35. | Byron Murphy II | 44,728 | 90,951 | 46,223 | 103.34% |
| 36. | Cooper DeJean | 74,025 | 149,768 | 75,743 | 102.32% |
| 37. | Javon Baker | 53,250 | 103,004 | 49,754 | 93.43% |
| 38. | Mohamed Kamara | 4,067 | 7,806 | 3,739 | 91.94% |
| 39. | Decamerion Richardson | 9,436 | 17,829 | 8,393 | 88.95% |
| 40. | Kingsley Suamataia | 17,498 | 32,250 | 14,752 | 84.31% |
| 41. | Malik Nabers | 104,364 | 190,586 | 86,222 | 82.62% |
| 42. | Ben Sinnott | 7,982 | 14,359 | 6,377 | 79.89% |
| 43. | Austin Booker | 14,617 | 26,190 | 11,573 | 79.17% |
| 44. | Bralen Trice | 5,966 | 10,515 | 4,549 | 76.25% |
| 45. | Devontez Walker | 14,920 | 26,272 | 11,352 | 76.09% |
| 46. | Trey Benson | 61,342 | 107,488 | 46,146 | 75.23% |
| 47. | Dallas Turner | 56,172 | 96,917 | 40,745 | 72.54% |
| 48. | MarShawn Lloyd | 28,094 | 47,785 | 19,691 | 70.09% |
| 49. | Theo Johnson | 13,729 | 22,914 | 9,185 | 66.90% |
| 50. | Junior Colson | 54,470 | 87,484 | 33,014 | 60.61% |
| 51. | Jonathon Brooks | 29,273 | 46,513 | 17,240 | 58.89% |
| 52. | Xavier Worthy | 332,840 | 510,999 | 178,159 | 53.53% |
| 53. | Calen Bullock | 13,595 | 20,705 | 7,110 | 52.30% |
| 54. | Javon Bullard | 44,469 | 67,401 | 22,932 | 51.57% |
| 55. | Elijah Jones | 3,957 | 5,989 | 2,032 | 51.35% |
| 56. | Christian Mahogany | 4,116 | 6,159 | 2,043 | 49.64% |
| 57. | Terrion Arnold | 118,721 | 176,950 | 58,229 | 49.05% |
| 58. | Roman Wilson | 70,145 | 102,474 | 32,329 | 46.09% |
| 59. | Kris Jenkins | 21,999 | 31,882 | 9,883 | 44.92% |
| 60. | Amarius Mims | 34,866 | 49,912 | 15,046 | 43.15% |
| 61. | Caleb Williams | 314,683 | 448,393 | 133,710 | 42.49% |
| 62. | Kamari Lassiter | 27,997 | 39,641 | 11,644 | 41.59% |
| 63. | Adonai Mitchell | 62,356 | 87,825 | 25,469 | 40.84% |
| 64. | Troy Franklin | 61,541 | 83,219 | 21,678 | 35.23% |
| 65. | Jared Verse | 43,300 | 58,460 | 15,160 | 35.01% |
| 66. | Jalen McMillan | 15,055 | 20,176 | 5,121 | 34.02% |
| 67. | Max Melton | 14,773 | 19,737 | 4,964 | 33.60% |
| 68. | Jayden Daniels | 214,393 | 286,149 | 71,756 | 33.47% |
| 69. | Bo Nix | 270,845 | 346,731 | 75,886 | 28.02% |
| 70. | Jarrian Jones | 24,515 | 30,745 | 6,230 | 25.41% |
| 71. | Brock Bowers | 149,734 | 187,612 | 37,878 | 25.30% |
| 72. | Brandon Dorlus | 10,364 | 12,841 | 2,477 | 23.90% |
| 73. | Ladd McConkey | 96,177 | 116,792 | 20,615 | 21.43% |
| 74. | Chris Braswell | 18,889 | 22,819 | 3,930 | 20.81% |
| 75. | Khyree Jackson | 47,641 | 55,930 | 8,289 | 17.40% |
| 76. | Blake Fisher | 11,673 | 13,690 | 2,017 | 17.28% |
| 77. | Maason Smith | 22,887 | 25,725 | 2,838 | 12.40% |
| 78. | Mike Sainristil | 100,996 | 112,455 | 11,459 | 11.35% |
| 79. | Blake Corum | 209,411 | 226,714 | 17,303 | 8.26% |
| 80. | Spencer Rattler | 344,756 | 369,468 | 24,712 | 7.17% |
| 81. | Malik Washington | 8,446 | 8,750 | 304 | 3.60% |
| 82. | Jaylen Wright | 1,323 | 1,321 | -2 | -0.15% |
| 83. | Brandon Coleman | 123,329 | 122,562 | -767 | -0.62% |
| 84. | Darius Robinson | 40,302 | 40,036 | -266 | -0.66% |
Sources: Instagram