1944 NFL draft


The 1944 NFL draft was held on April 19, 1944, at the Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Perhaps as a tip of the hat to wartime sensibilities, the 1944 draft was officially called the "1943 Preferred Negotiations List" by the league.
With the first overall pick of the draft, the Boston Yanks selected quarterback Angelo Bertelli.
Although there were 32 rounds in the 1944 draft, each of the league's 11 teams selected 30 players, for a total of 330 players picked. The five worst-finishing teams picked alone in rounds 2 and 4, while the five best-finishing teams plus the expansion Yanks picked alone in rounds 31 and 32.
By agreement of league owners, the new Yanks franchise received the first pick of the first round and then dropped to 11th in the order of draft selection, making their next choice at 27. As a mechanism for reestablishing the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers as individual entities after their wartime merger-of-convenience as the so-called Phil-Pitt Steagles in 1943, these teams selected fourth and ninth alternately in the 1943 draft. This gave Pittsburgh picks 10, 15, 31, and 41 at the top of the draft and Philadelphia picks 5, 20, and 36.

Player selections

Round 1

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
1Boston YanksAngelo BertelliQuarterbackNotre Dame
2Chicago CardinalsPat HarderFullbackWisconsin
3Brooklyn TigersCreighton MillerHalfbackNotre Dame
4[1944 1944 Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions]Otto GrahamBack[1943 1943 Northwestern Wildcats football team|Northwestern Wildcats football team|Northwestern]
5Philadelphia EaglesSteve Van BurenHalfback[1943 1943 LSU Tigers football team|LSU Tigers football team|LSU]
6New York GiantsBilly HillenbrandHalfbackIndiana
7Green Bay PackersMerv PregulmanGuard[1943 1943 Michigan Wolverines football team|Michigan Wolverines football team|Michigan]
8[1944 1943 Washington Huskies football team|Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]Mike MickaBackColgate
9[1944 1944 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]Ray EvansHalfback[1943 1943 Kansas Jayhawks football team|Kansas Jayhawks football team|Kansas]
10Pittsburgh SteelersJohnny PodestoTailbackSt. Mary's (CA)
11[1944 1944 Cleveland Rams season|Cleveland Rams season|Cleveland Rams]Tony ButkovichFullbackPurdue

Round 2

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
12Chicago CardinalsPaul MitchellTackleMinnesota
13Brooklyn TigersJim CallahanBack[1943 1943 Texas Longhorns football team|Texas Longhorns football team|Texas]
14Detroit LionsBob CifersBackTennessee
15Pittsburgh SteelersBob OdellEndPenn
16New York GiantsLamar BlountBackMississippi State

Round 3

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
17Chicago CardinalsSaxon JuddEndTulsa
18Brooklyn TigersRalph ParkBackTexas
19Detroit LionsRalph HeywoodEndUSC
20Philadelphia EaglesLoren LaPradeGuardStanford
21New York GiantsClyde FlowersTackleTCU
22Green Bay PackersTom KuzmaBackMichigan
23Washington RedskinsEarl AudetTackleUSC
24Chicago BearsRudy SmejaEndMichigan
25Pittsburgh SteelersBob GanttEndDuke
26Cleveland RamsGil BouleyTackleBoston College
27Boston YanksBabe DimancheffBackPurdue

Round 4

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
28Chicago CardinalsJack TavenerCenterIndiana
29Brooklyn TigersRudy SikichTackleMinnesota
30Detroit LionsGeorge BetteridgeBackUtah
31Pittsburgh SteelersArt McCaffrayTacklePacific
32New York GiantsHerb KaneTackleEast Central (OK)

Round 5

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
33Chicago CardinalsBill BlackburnCenter[1943 1943 Rice Owls football team|Rice Owls football team|Rice]
34Brooklyn TigersVerne UllomEndCincinnati
35Detroit LionsJohn GreeneTackleMichigan
36Philadelphia EaglesJoe ParkerEndTexas
37New York GiantsVic MaitlandTackleHobart
38Green Bay PackersBill McPartlandTackleSt. Mary's
39Washington RedskinsEd DohertyQuarterbackBoston College
40Chicago BearsAbe CroftEndSMU
41Pittsburgh SteelersGeorge OwenGuardWake Forest
42Cleveland RamsBob WaterfieldQuarterback[1943 1943 UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA]
43Boston YanksLarry RiceCenterTulane

Round 6

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
44Chicago CardinalsBill GarnaasBackMinnesota
45Brooklyn TigersBruce McDonaldEndIllinois State
46Detroit LionsEd AlliquieTackleSanta Clara
47Pittsburgh SteelersDan SavageBack[1943 1943 Brown Bears football team|Brown Bears football team|Brown]
48New York GiantsJack OklandTackleUtah State
49Green Bay PackersMickey McCardleBackUSC
50Washington RedskinsJackie FellowsBackFresno State
51Chicago BearsC. B. StanleyTackleTulsa
52Philadelphia EaglesHillary HorneTackleMississippi State
53Cleveland RamsAl AkinsBackWashington
54Boston YanksButch ParkerTackleLoyola (CA)

Round 7

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
55Chicago CardinalsRodger SmithBackTexas Tech
56Brooklyn TigersBob GraizigerGuardMinnesota
57Detroit LionsPaul BriggsTackleColorado
58Philadelphia EaglesVic KulbitskiBackMinnesota
59New York GiantsHerm FrickeyBackMinnesota
60Green Bay PackersJack TracyEndWashington
61Washington RedskinsHal FischerGuardTexas
62Chicago BearsDarwin SeeleyCenterStanford
63Pittsburgh SteelersJesse FreitasBackSanta Clara
64Cleveland RamsGeorge CheverkoBackFordham
65Boston YanksMike AndrewsEndNC State

Round 8

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
66Chicago CardinalsRed CochranBackWake Forest
67Brooklyn TigersJack SachseCenterTexas
68Detroit LionsRod GiskeGuardWashington State
69Pittsburgh SteelersGeorge TitusCenterHoly Cross
70New York GiantsRoy ClayBackColorado A&M
71Green Bay PackersAlex AgaseGuard[1943 1943 Illinois Fighting Illini football team|Illinois Fighting Illini football team|Illinois]
72Washington RedskinsCliff WhiteTackleMurray State
73Chicago BearsBuck FawcettBackStanford
74Philadelphia EaglesGeorge PhillipsBackUCLA
75Cleveland RamsStan StasicaBackSouth Carolina
76Boston YanksBob MusickBackUSC

Round 9

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
77Chicago CardinalsFrank ScanlanBackLoyola
78Brooklyn TigersMitchell OlenskiTackleAlabama
79Detroit LionsMatthew BolgerEndNotre Dame
80Philadelphia EaglesPaul SarringhausBackOhio State
81New York GiantsJohn SanchezTackleSan Francisco
82Green Bay PackersDon WhitmireTackle[1943 1943 Navy Midshipmen football team|Navy Midshipmen football team|Navy]
83Washington RedskinsTed OgdahlBackWillamette
84Chicago BearsJack MortonEndMissouri
85Pittsburgh SteelersEd StofkoBackSt. Francis (PA)
86Cleveland RamsFred BoenschTackleStanford
87Boston YanksTex WarringtonCenterAuburn

Round 10

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
88Chicago CardinalsLou SabanBackIndiana
89Brooklyn TigersAldo CenciBackPenn State
90Detroit LionsHerb HeinEndMinnesota
91Pittsburgh SteelersVal JansanteEndDuquesne
92New York GiantsErnie BeamerEndDuke
93Green Bay PackersBob KochBackOregon
94Washington RedskinsBob SneddonBackSt. Mary's
95Chicago BearsBill StarfordCenterWake Forest
96Philadelphia EaglesJohn PerkoGuardMinnesota
97Cleveland RamsBob ShawEndOhio State
98Boston YanksAngelo SistiTackleBoston College

Round 11

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
99Chicago CardinalsFran GriffinTackleHoly Cross
100Brooklyn TigersJohn BicaninchGuardMinnesota
101Detroit LionsPaul WhiteBackMichigan
102Philadelphia EaglesElliott OrmsbeeBackBradley
103New York GiantsCarl GrateGuardGeorgia
104Green Bay PackersVirgil JohnsonEndArkansas
105Washington RedskinsBill AldworthTackleMinnesota
106Chicago BearsLin HoustonGuardOhio State
107Pittsburgh SteelersCarl BudaGuardTulsa
108Cleveland RamsJoe AndrejcoBackFordham
109Boston YanksGene LongGuardKansas

Round 12

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
110Chicago CardinalsLeo DanielsBackTexas A&M
111Brooklyn TigersJim TyreeEndOklahoma
112Detroit LionsJack LescoulieGuardUCLA
113Pittsburgh SteelersSam GrayEndTulsa
114New York GiantsTommy MontBackMaryland
115Green Bay PackersRoy GiustiBackSt. Mary's
116Washington RedskinsBill JoslynBackStanford
117Chicago BearsJ. P. MooreBackVanderbilt
118Philadelphia EaglesEarle ParsonsBackUSC
119Cleveland RamsPat FilleyGuardNotre Dame
120Boston YanksEd FiorentinoEndBoston College

Round 13

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
121Chicago CardinalsBobby DobbsBackTulsa
122Brooklyn TigersJim WrightCenterSMU
123Detroit LionsDoug RehorBackDickinson
124Philadelphia EaglesBob HanzlikEndWisconsin
125New York GiantsRay PooleEndOle Miss
126Green Bay PackersBill BaughmanCenterAlabama
127Washington RedskinsCharley WalkerCenterKentucky
128Chicago BearsBill DuffeyEndGeorgetown
129Pittsburgh SteelersBob LongacreBackWilliam & Mary
130Cleveland RamsBob EricksonBackWashington
131Boston YanksMike ZeleznakBackKansas State

Round 14

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
132Chicago CardinalsVan HallBackTCU
133Brooklyn TigersJohn GenisTackleIllinois
134Detroit LionsBill PritulaCenterMichigan
135Pittsburgh SteelersLes ZettyEndMuhlenberg
136New York GiantsBert CorleyCenterMississippi State
137Green Bay PackersDon GriffinBackIllinois
138Washington RedskinsBoyd ClementCenterOregon State
139Chicago BearsJoe HartleyTackleLSU
140Philadelphia EaglesJim TalleyCenterLSU
141Cleveland RamsMel MaceauCenterMarquette
142Boston YanksJohn MaskasTackleVPI

Round 15

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
143Chicago CardinalsJack CarpenterTackleMissouri
144Brooklyn TigersSpook MurphyBackMississippi State
145Detroit LionsJim MolichEndFresno State
146Philadelphia EaglesDom FusciTackleSouth Carolina
147New York GiantsOllie PooleEndOle Miss
148Green Bay PackersBert GisslerEndNebraska
149Washington RedskinsJim GaffneyBackTennessee
150Chicago BearsBill MilnerGuardDuke
151Pittsburgh SteelersJim MyersGuardTennessee
152Cleveland RamsBud HubbellEndTennessee
153Boston YanksJohn BondBackTCU

Round 16

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
154Chicago CardinalsCharley CsuriTackleOhio State
155Brooklyn TigersDoug EssickEndUSC
156Detroit LionsJules YakapovichBackColgate
157Pittsburgh SteelersJoe GottliebBackDuquesne
158New York GiantsRalph EllsworthBackTexas
159Green Bay PackersLou SheltonBackOregon State
160Washington RedskinsTed OssowskiTackleOregon State
161Chicago BearsBuckets HirschBackNorthwestern
162Philadelphia EaglesJohnny GreenEndTulsa
163Cleveland RamsJohn AguirreTackleUSC
164Boston YanksRoger AntayaGuardDartmouth

Round 17

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
165Chicago CardinalsJoe MaglioloBackTexas
166Brooklyn TigersRed MaleyBackSMU
167Detroit LionsJack HelmsTackleGeorgia Tech
168Philadelphia EaglesJackie FreemanBackWilliam & Mary
169New York GiantsEd SchneiderTackleWashburn
170Green Bay PackersCharley CusickGuardColgate
171Washington RedskinsTom DavisBackDuke
172Chicago BearsEd RyckeleyEndGeorgia Tech
173Pittsburgh SteelersHugh DavisBackMichigan State
174Cleveland RamsAubrey ClaytonBackAuburn
175Boston YanksMarshall ShurnasEndMissouri

Round 18

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
176Chicago CardinalsWalt SzotTackleBucknell
177Brooklyn TigersDon WillerTackleUSC
178Detroit LionsElmer MadarikBackDetroit
179Pittsburgh SteelersBill SullivanEndVillanova
180New York GiantsMarcel GresTackleTexas
181Green Bay PackersHugh CoxBackNorth Carolina
182Washington RedskinsJohn BatorskiEndColgate
183Chicago BearsHowdy PlasmanBackMiami (FL)
184Philadelphia EaglesJoe KaneBackPenn
185Cleveland RamsZiggy ZamlynskiBackVillanova
186Boston YanksReldon BennettTackleLSU

Round 19

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
187Chicago CardinalsJack AdamsEndPresbyterian
188Brooklyn TigersHoward CallananBackUSC
189Detroit LionsBill EubankEndMississippi State
190Philadelphia EaglesTony SchiroGuardSanta Clara
191New York GiantsNeil BrooksBackWashington
192Green Bay PackersKermit DavisEndMississippi State
193Washington RedskinsClyde EhrhardtCenterGeorgia
194Chicago BearsBear FrenchTacklePurdue
195Pittsburgh SteelersJimmy WoodsideCenterTemple
196Cleveland RamsBob McBrideGuardNotre Dame
197Boston YanksArt FairclothBackNC State

Round 20

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
198Chicago CardinalsRay KuffelEndMarquette
199Brooklyn TigersGeorge DohertyTackleLouisiana Tech
200Detroit LionsRay AhlstromBackSt. Mary's
201Pittsburgh SteelersBill MillerBackPenn
202New York GiantsPete KaneBackGeneva
203Green Bay PackersBob JohnsonCenterPurdue
204Washington RedskinsDave BrownEndUCLA
205Chicago BearsPaul TaylorBackUSC
206Philadelphia EaglesNorm MichaelBackSyracuse
207Cleveland RamsJoe YackanichTackleFordham
208Boston YanksTony BilottiGuardSt. Mary's

Round 21

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
209Chicago CardinalsJack WestEndTexas
210Brooklyn TigersMike MihalicGuardMississippi State
211Detroit LionsAlex KapterGuardNorthwestern
212Philadelphia EaglesEddie KulakowskiTackleWest Virginia
213New York GiantsKit KittrellBackBaylor
214Green Bay PackersJim CoxTackleStanford
215Washington RedskinsBill IvyTackleNorthwestern
216Chicago BearsHank MargaritaBackBrown
217Pittsburgh SteelersBob LawsonEndHoly Cross
218Cleveland RamsJohn CreeveyBackNotre Dame
219Boston YanksBill FurmanTackleWashington & Lee

Round 22

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
220Chicago CardinalsJack EsorciaBackIllinois State
221Brooklyn TigersTed CookEndAlabama
222Detroit LionsVick ClarkBackTexas Western
223Pittsburgh SteelersHank CaverBackPresbyterian
224New York GiantsRoy RenfroGuardFresno State
225Green Bay PackersCliff AndersonEndMinnesota
226Washington RedskinsBruce BabcockBackRochester
227Chicago BearsEd DavisBackOklahoma
228Philadelphia EaglesAl PostusBackVillanova
229Cleveland RamsDavid Paul JonesBackArkansas
230Boston YanksClare MorfordGuardOklahoma

Round 23

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
231Chicago CardinalsDon BuffmireBackNorthwestern
232Brooklyn TigersBucky GillenwaterTackleTexas
233Detroit LionsMax FischerCenterOklahoma
234Philadelphia EaglesMilt SmithEndUCLA
235New York GiantsJohn DubzinskiGuardBoston College
236Green Bay PackersJohn Wesley PerryBackDuke
237Washington RedskinsBill ReinhardBackCalifornia
238Chicago BearsDick JamisonTackleUSC
239Pittsburgh SteelersPaul CarterTackleMichigan State
240Cleveland RamsJim PharrCenterAuburn
241Boston YanksDilton RichmondEndLSU

Round 24

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
242Chicago CardinalsBob NanniTackleDuke
243Brooklyn TigersJack BaldwinCenterCentenary
244Detroit LionsChuck JacobyBackIndiana
245Pittsburgh SteelersDick HolbenTackleMuhlenberg
246New York GiantsHoward BeyerCenterMichigan State
247Green Bay PackersPete DeMariaGuardPurdue
248Washington RedskinsEd BauerGuardSouth Carolina
249Chicago BearsJack BortkaBackKansas State
250Philadelphia EaglesEarl KlapsteinTacklePacific
251Cleveland RamsJoe WarlickBackMississippi State
252Boston YanksCourtney LawlorBackRichmond

Round 25

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
253Chicago CardinalsJohn McGinnisEndNotre Dame
254Brooklyn TigersDick ManningBackUSC
255Detroit LionsBob McCarthyEndSt. Mary's
256Philadelphia EaglesBob FrisbeeBackStanford
257New York GiantsBen BabulaBackFordham
258Green Bay PackersLen LissTackleMarquette
259Washington RedskinsSmokey MartinBackCornell
260Chicago BearsRoy RuskuskyEndSt. Mary's
261Pittsburgh SteelersHoward TippeeBackIowa State
262Cleveland RamsBert GianelliGuardSanta Clara
263Boston YanksHoward DebusBackNebraska

Round 26

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
264Chicago CardinalsWarren HodgesTackleKansas
265Brooklyn TigersRay GriersonEndIllinois
266Detroit LionsStan HendricksonEndColorado
267Pittsburgh SteelersCharley MalmbergTackleRice
268New York GiantsTheophilus Andrew FitanidesBackNew Hampshire
269Green Bay PackersRay JordanBackNorth Carolina
270Washington RedskinsLee GustafsonBackOregon State
271Chicago BearsHarry FranckBackNorthwestern
272Philadelphia EaglesEd EidenBackScranton
273Cleveland RamsCharley KuhnBackKentucky
274Boston YanksBill PortwoodEndKentucky

Round 27

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
275Chicago CardinalsBill EarleyBackNotre Dame
276Brooklyn TigersJoe GoldingBackOklahoma
277Detroit LionsFred BouldinBackMissouri
278Philadelphia EaglesBarney BurdickEndCreighton
279New York GiantsAndy BiresEndAlabama
280Green Bay PackersAl GrubaughTackleNebraska
281Washington RedskinsNick PappasTackleUtah
282Chicago BearsJack McKewanTackleAlabama
283Pittsburgh SteelersRuss AshbaughBackNotre Dame
284Cleveland RamsJim SmithTackleColorado
285Boston YanksHarold CollinsGuardSouthwestern (TX)

Round 28

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
286Chicago CardinalsBob DavisGuardOregon
287Brooklyn TigersBob ZimnyTackleIndiana
288Detroit LionsDick McElweeBackWest Virginia
289Pittsburgh SteelersPat PetroskiGuardMiami
290New York GiantsTom RockEndColumbia
291Green Bay PackersA. B. HowardEndMississippi State
292Washington RedskinsLindsey BowenEndRice
293Chicago BearsCharlie MitchellBackTulsa
294Philadelphia EaglesNick DaukasTackleDartmouth
295Cleveland RamsRay DonelliBackDuquesne
296Boston YanksAubrey GillCenterTexas

Round 29

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
297Chicago CardinalsVince DiFrancescaTackleNorthwestern
298Brooklyn TigersMarty FrohmTackleMississippi State
299Detroit LionsBob DerlethTackleMichigan
300Philadelphia EaglesPasquale DaroneGuardBoston College
301New York GiantsWalt CyhelTackleCreighton
302Green Bay PackersPaul PaladinoGuardArkansas
303Washington RedskinsBill GustafsonTackleWashington State
304Chicago BearsPat BoyleGuardWisconsin
305Pittsburgh SteelersJoe TostiEndScranton
306Cleveland RamsJohn HughesEndMississippi State
307Boston YanksChet WasilewskiBackHoly Cross

Round 30

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
308Chicago CardinalsLloyd OttCenterNC State
309Brooklyn TigersHoward BloseBackCornell
310Detroit LionsGeorge DickEndKansas
311Pittsburgh SteelersLen SeelingerBackWisconsin
312New York GiantsFrancis NelsonBackBaylor
313Green Bay PackersBob ButchofskyBackTexas A&M
314Washington RedskinsBill YablonskiCenterHoly Cross
315Chicago BearsBernie PepperTackleMissouri
316Philadelphia EaglesBill ClarkTackleColorado College
317Cleveland RamsDick McPheeBackGeorgia
318Boston YanksGus LetchasBackGeorgia

Round 31

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
319Green Bay PackersRuss DealGuardIndiana
320Washington RedskinsBuster HollingberyCenterWashington State
321Chicago BearsKarl VogtTackleVillanova
322Philadelphia EaglesPete PaskoEndEast Stroudsburg
323Cleveland RamsJim McLeodEndLSU
324Boston YanksRalph CalcagniTacklePenn

Hall of Famers

  • Otto Graham, quarterback from Northwestern taken 1st round 4th overall by the Detroit Lions.
  • Steve Van Buren, halfback from LSU taken 1st round 5th overall by the Philadelphia Eagles.
  • Bob Waterfield, quarterback from UCLA taken 5th round 42nd overall by the Cleveland Rams.
  • Ed Sprinkle, guard/defensive end from Navy taken undrafted by the Chicago Bears.