The 1946 NFL draft was held on January 14, 1946, at the Commodore Hotel in New York City, New York.[1]
The selections were initially withheld from the public out of fear that the newly formed All-America Football Conference would sign away players selected high.[2] With the first overall pick of the draft, the Boston Yanks selected quarterback Frank Dancewicz. The most notable draft choice in this player selection meeting was made by the Washington Redskins and remains one of the biggest draft blunders of all time. They chose Cal Rossi with the 9th overall pick, but Rossi, a junior at UCLA, was not eligible to be drafted. They chose him again in the 1947 NFL draft, but he never played football professionally.
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
51 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Pat Lenshan |
End |
Tennessee
|
52 |
Boston Yanks |
Ed Mieszkowski |
Tackle |
Notre Dame
|
53 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Tom Reinhardt |
Tackle |
Minnesota
|
54 |
Chicago Bears |
Wendell Beard |
Tackle |
California
|
55 |
New York Giants |
Jim Plyler |
Tackle |
Texas
|
56 |
Green Bay Packers |
Art Renner |
End |
Michigan
|
57 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
George Robotham |
End |
UCLA
|
58 |
Detroit Lions |
Pete Berezney |
Tackle |
Notre Dame
|
59 |
Washington Redskins |
Bob Hendren |
Tackle |
USC
|
60 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Dolly King |
End |
Georgia
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
81 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Tom Barber |
Tackle |
Chattanooga
|
82 |
Boston Yanks |
Rex John |
Tackle |
Wisconsin
|
83 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Mel Bonwell |
Back |
Central (IA)
|
84 |
Chicago Bears |
Bill Harris |
Center |
Auburn
|
85 |
New York Giants |
Walt Clay |
Back |
Colorado
|
86 |
Green Bay Packers |
Joe McAfee |
Back |
Holy Cross
|
87 |
Detroit Lions |
Thornton Dixon |
Tackle |
Ohio State
|
88 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Al Vandeweghe |
End |
William & Mary
|
89 |
Washington Redskins |
Jake Leicht |
Back |
Oregon
|
90 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Joe Signaigo |
Guard |
Notre Dame
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
91 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Dick Loepfe |
Tackle |
Wisconsin
|
92 |
Boston Yanks |
Bob West |
Back |
Colorado
|
93 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Doc Holloway |
Guard |
William & Mary
|
94 |
Chicago Bears |
Eddie Allen |
Back |
Penn
|
95 |
New York Giants |
Warren Amling |
Guard |
Ohio State
|
96 |
Green Bay Packers |
Steve Conroy |
Back |
Holy Cross
|
97 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Bill Iancelli |
End |
Franklin & Marshall
|
98 |
Detroit Lions |
Bob Stevens |
Back |
Oregon State
|
99 |
Washington Redskins |
Chick Maggioli |
Back |
Illinois
|
100 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Tom Phillips |
Back |
Ohio State
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
101 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Venton Yablonski |
Back |
Columbia
|
102 |
Boston Yanks |
Max Dodge |
End |
Nevada
|
103 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Carroll Owen |
Back |
Catawba
|
104 |
Chicago Bears |
Frank Bauman |
End |
Illinois
|
105 |
New York Giants |
Al Bush |
Tackle |
Duke
|
106 |
Green Bay Packers |
Bill Hildebrand |
End |
Mississippi State
|
107 |
Detroit Lions |
Pat Farris |
Tackle |
Texas Tech
|
108 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Pat McHugh |
Back |
Georgia Tech
|
109 |
Washington Redskins |
Monte Moncrief |
Tackle |
Texas A&M
|
110 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Ted Strojny |
Tackle |
Holy Cross
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
111 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Lee Lewis |
Back |
Washington
|
112 |
Boston Yanks |
Joe Kirkland |
Tackle |
Virginia
|
113 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
George Poppin |
Tackle |
New Mexico
|
114 |
Chicago Bears |
Reed Nostrum |
Tackle |
Utah
|
115 |
New York Giants |
Bob Reiman |
Back |
Oregon State
|
116 |
Green Bay Packers |
Tom Hand |
Center |
Iowa
|
117 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
John Wingender |
Back |
Washington
|
118 |
Detroit Lions |
Paul Copoulos |
Back |
Marquette
|
119 |
Washington Redskins |
Joe Tereshinski |
End |
Georgia
|
120 |
Los Angeles Rams |
George Strohmeyer |
Center |
Notre Dame
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
121 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Bob Russell |
Back |
Miami (OH)
|
122 |
Boston Yanks |
Ralph Ventresco |
Back |
Penn State
|
123 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Bob McCain |
End |
Ole Miss
|
124 |
Chicago Bears |
Dick Chatterton |
Back |
BYU
|
125 |
New York Giants |
Bob Hazelhurst |
Back |
Denver
|
126 |
Green Bay Packers |
George Hills |
Guard |
Georgia Tech
|
127 |
Detroit Lions |
Ty Irby |
Back |
Auburn
|
128 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Homer Paine |
Tackle |
Tulsa
|
129 |
Washington Redskins |
Stan Sprague |
End |
Illinois
|
130 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Bob Palladino |
Back |
Notre Dame
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
131 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Fred Rovai |
Guard |
Notre Dame
|
132 |
Boston Yanks |
John Furey |
Tackle |
Boston College
|
133 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Tom Tallchief |
Tackle |
Oklahoma
|
134 |
Chicago Bears |
Johnny Timko |
Center |
Temple
|
135 |
New York Giants |
Stan Stapley |
Tackle |
Utah
|
136 |
Green Bay Packers |
Jim Hough |
Back |
Clemson
|
137 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
John Kerns |
Tackle |
Ohio
|
138 |
Detroit Lions |
Pat Thrash |
End |
South Carolina
|
139 |
Washington Redskins |
Harry Adelman |
End |
USC
|
140 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Dick Lorenz |
End |
Oregon State
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
141 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Ray Evans |
Tackle |
Texas Western
|
142 |
Boston Yanks |
Bill Swiacki |
End |
Columbia
|
143 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Al Perl |
Back |
Youngstown State
|
144 |
Chicago Bears |
Ted Hazelwood |
Tackle |
North Carolina
|
145 |
New York Giants |
Nick Terlizzi |
Tackle |
Alabama
|
146 |
Green Bay Packers |
Dean Gaines |
Tackle |
Georgia Tech
|
147 |
Detroit Lions |
Kelly Mote |
End |
Duke
|
148 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Buddy Hubbard |
Back |
William & Mary
|
149 |
Washington Redskins |
Bob Butchofsky |
Back |
Texas A&M
|
150 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Larry Bouley |
Back |
Georgia
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
151 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Bob Loubie |
Back |
Miami (OH)
|
152 |
Boston Yanks |
Charley Tiedeman |
Back |
Brown
|
153 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Russ Lopez |
Center |
West Virginia
|
154 |
Chicago Bears |
Dick Johnson |
Center |
Baylor
|
155 |
New York Giants |
Ray Justak |
Guard |
Northwestern
|
156 |
Green Bay Packers |
J. P. Miller |
Guard |
Georgia
|
157 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Allen Smith |
Back |
Tulsa
|
158 |
Detroit Lions |
Bill Scrugg |
Back |
Rice
|
159 |
Washington Redskins |
Mike Prashaw |
Tackle |
Michigan
|
160 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Gasper Urban |
Guard |
Notre Dame
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
161 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Frank Irwin |
Tackle |
Duke
|
162 |
Boston Yanks |
Don Alverez |
Guard |
Dartmouth
|
163 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Buck Garrison |
Guard |
Wake Forest
|
164 |
Chicago Bears |
Art Boettcher |
Back |
Shurtleff
|
165 |
New York Giants |
Bob Morris |
Back |
USC
|
166 |
Green Bay Packers |
Boyd Morse |
End |
Arizona
|
167 |
Detroit Lions |
Ben Wall |
Back |
Central Michigan
|
168 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Bernie Millham |
End |
Fordham
|
169 |
Washington Redskins |
Ed Robnett |
Back |
Texas Tech
|
170 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Bob Wise |
Guard |
Colorado
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
171 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Pride Ratterree |
Guard |
Wake Forest
|
172 |
Boston Yanks |
Jack Burns |
Back |
Temple
|
173 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Bill Cloud |
Tackle |
Temple
|
174 |
Chicago Bears |
Tom Gallagher |
Back |
Illinois
|
175 |
New York Giants |
Tom Loflin |
End |
LSU
|
176 |
Green Bay Packers |
Joe Bradford |
Center |
USC
|
177 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Lawrence Mauss |
Center |
Utah
|
178 |
Detroit Lions |
Merlin Kispert |
Back |
Minnesota
|
179 |
Washington Redskins |
LaMar Dykstra |
Back |
Colorado
|
180 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Jerry Ford |
End |
Notre Dame
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
181 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Bill Heywood |
Back |
Notre Dame
|
182 |
Boston Yanks |
Frank Ruggerio |
Back |
Notre Dame
|
183 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Mike Garbinski |
Back |
Penn State
|
184 |
Chicago Bears |
Johnny Adams |
Back |
Denver
|
185 |
New York Giants |
Dick Kelly |
Back |
Minnesota
|
186 |
Green Bay Packers |
Bill DeRosa |
Back |
Boston College
|
187 |
Detroit Lions |
Don Malmberg |
Tackle |
UCLA
|
188 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Dave Butcher |
Back |
William & Mary
|
189 |
Washington Redskins |
Bob Ward |
Back |
San Jose State
|
190 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Bob Albrecht |
Back |
Marquette
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
191 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Al Traught |
Back |
Miami (OH)
|
192 |
Boston Yanks |
Jack Price |
Back |
Baylor
|
193 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Charley Loiacano |
Center |
Lafayette
|
194 |
Chicago Bears |
Dean Widseth |
Tackle |
Bemidji State
|
195 |
New York Giants |
Mel Patton |
Back |
Santa Clara
|
196 |
Green Bay Packers |
Ralph Grant |
Back |
Bucknell
|
197 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Don Fabling |
Back |
Colorado
|
198 |
Detroit Lions |
Ned Maloney |
End |
Purdue
|
199 |
Washington Redskins |
John Pehar |
Tackle |
USC
|
200 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Cliff Lewis |
Back |
Duke
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
201 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Clem Andrulewicz |
Tackle |
Villanova
|
202 |
Boston Yanks |
Ike Igleheart |
Guard |
Tulane
|
203 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
George Johnson |
Tackle |
Pittsburgh
|
204 |
Chicago Bears |
George Kochins |
Tackle |
Bucknell
|
205 |
New York Giants |
Bill Stiers |
Back |
UCLA
|
206 |
Green Bay Packers |
Howie Brown |
Guard |
Indiana
|
207 |
Detroit Lions |
Jack Simmons |
Back |
Detroit
|
208 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
George Feldman |
Back |
Tufts
|
209 |
Washington Redskins |
Roger Robinson |
Back |
Syracuse
|
210 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Bob Richardson |
Tackle |
Marquette
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
211 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Adam Rakowski |
End |
Penn
|
212 |
Boston Yanks |
Bill Levitt |
Center |
Miami (FL)
|
213 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Bill Leitheiser |
Guard |
Duke
|
214 |
Chicago Bears |
Al Hoisch |
Back |
Stanford
|
215 |
New York Giants |
Vernon Hare |
Back |
Santa Clara
|
216 |
Green Bay Packers |
Andy Kosmac |
Center |
LSU
|
217 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Ed Cameron |
Guard |
Miami (FL)
|
218 |
Detroit Lions |
Joe Pulte |
End |
Detroit
|
219 |
Washington Redskins |
Charley Cadenhead |
Center |
Mississippi State
|
220 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Derald Lebow |
Back |
Oklahoma
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
221 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Jack McKenzie |
Back |
Northwestern
|
222 |
Boston Yanks |
Mike Karmazin |
End |
Duke
|
223 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Roger Adams |
Center |
Florida
|
224 |
Chicago Bears |
Visco Grgich |
End |
Santa Clara
|
225 |
New York Giants |
Neil Scully |
Back |
Dayton
|
226 |
Green Bay Packers |
Maurice Stacy |
Back |
Washington
|
227 |
Detroit Lions |
Bob Funderberg |
Back |
Northwestern
|
228 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Charley Steed |
Back |
Arkansas–Monticello
|
229 |
Washington Redskins |
Bob Rados |
Guard |
Santa Clara
|
230 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Bill Lippincott |
Back |
Washington State
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
231 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Tom Worthington |
Tackle |
Tulsa
|
232 |
Boston Yanks |
Chet Latcham |
Guard |
Denver
|
233 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Bob Verkins |
Back |
Tulsa
|
234 |
Chicago Bears |
Allen Richards |
Back |
Cincinnati
|
235 |
New York Giants |
George Miller |
Tackle |
Denver
|
236 |
Green Bay Packers |
Chick Davidson |
Tackle |
Cornell
|
237 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Ed Grygiel |
Back |
Dartmouth
|
238 |
Detroit Lions |
Ed Stacco |
Tackle |
Colgate
|
239 |
Washington Redskins |
Charlie Webb |
End |
LSU
|
240 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Kay Jamison |
End |
Florida
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
241 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Jim Vugrin |
Guard |
Tennessee
|
242 |
Boston Yanks |
Gordon Botsford |
End |
Boston University
|
243 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Clarence Castle |
Back |
Ole Miss
|
244 |
Chicago Bears |
Jess Tunstill |
Back |
Kentucky
|
245 |
New York Giants |
Barney White |
End |
Tulsa
|
246 |
Green Bay Packers |
John Norton |
Back |
Washington
|
247 |
Detroit Lions |
Roger Anderson |
Guard |
Oregon State
|
248 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Ben Raimondi |
Back |
Indiana
|
249 |
Washington Redskins |
Marion Flanagan |
Back |
Texas A&M
|
250 |
Los Angeles Rams |
D. J. Gambrell |
Center |
Alabama
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
251 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Jesse Herschbarger |
End |
SMU
|
252 |
Boston Yanks |
John Kauffman |
Guard |
Oregon
|
253 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Marchi Marino |
Tackle |
Penn State
|
254 |
Chicago Bears |
Ken Smock |
Back |
Purdue
|
255 |
New York Giants |
Butch Kalens |
Guard |
Illinois
|
256 |
Green Bay Packers |
Ed Holtsinger |
Back |
Georgia Tech
|
257 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Sam Bailey |
End |
Georgia
|
258 |
Detroit Lions |
Chuck Murdock |
End |
Georgia Tech
|
259 |
Washington Redskins |
Roland Phillips |
Tackle |
Georgia Tech
|
260 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Joe Ben Dickey |
Back |
Colorado
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
261 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Newman Ledbetter |
Tackle |
Texas Tech
|
262 |
Boston Yanks |
Don Gleasner |
End |
Maryland
|
263 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Bob Hansen |
End |
UCLA
|
264 |
Chicago Bears |
Howard Weldon |
Guard |
North Carolina
|
265 |
New York Giants |
Charlie Ellis |
Back |
Virginia
|
266 |
Green Bay Packers |
Joe Campbell |
End |
Holy Cross
|
267 |
Detroit Lions |
Dick Van Duesen |
Center |
Minnesota
|
268 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Bob Long |
Back |
Tennessee
|
269 |
Washington Redskins |
Jim Hallmark |
Back |
Texas A&M
|
270 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Marty Grbovaz |
End |
San Francisco
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
271 |
Chicago Cardinals |
Alton Baldwin |
End |
Arkansas
|
272 |
Boston Yanks |
Carl McKinnon |
Guard |
Dartmouth
|
273 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Larry Graves |
Tackle |
Newberry
|
274 |
Chicago Bears |
Johnny Cook |
Back |
Georgia
|
275 |
New York Giants |
Steve Lucas |
End |
Duke
|
276 |
Green Bay Packers |
Francis Saunders |
Tackle |
Clemson
|
277 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Bill Fisher |
Tackle |
Harvard
|
278 |
Detroit Lions |
Bill Agnew |
Back |
California
|
279 |
Washington Redskins |
Fay Mills |
Tackle |
Alabama
|
280 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Jay Perrin |
Tackle |
USC
|
- George Connor, tackle from Notre Dame taken 1st round 5th overall by the New York Giants.
- Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1975.[6]
Notable undrafted players
[edit]
- ^ Salomone, Dan (October 2, 2014). "NFL Draft headed to Chicago in 2015". Giants.com. New York Giants. Archived from the original on September 30, 2015. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ^ Tucker, William (January 15, 1946). "National Football League Holds Secret Draft: Few Selections Made Public". Eugene Register-Guard. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
- ^ a b Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career.
- ^ Felix "Doc" Blanchard, 1945 Heisman Trophy winner "Heisman Trophy". Archived from the original on August 7, 2008. Retrieved August 4, 2008.
- ^ John Lujack, 1947 Heisman Trophy winner "Heisman Trophy". Archived from the original on April 9, 2008. Retrieved August 4, 2008.
- ^ List of 1970s Hall of Fame Inductee's at profootballhof.com "Pro Football Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved October 6, 2008.
- ^ Players are identified as a Hall of Famer if they have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.