# 1949 NFL draft

The 1949 NFL draft was held on December 21, 1948, at The Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia. The draft was preceded by a secret draft meeting held November 15, 1948, at the Hotel Schenley in Pittsburgh.
This was the third year that the first overall pick was a bonus pick determined by lottery, with the previous two winners (Chicago Bears in 1947 and Washington Redskins in 1948) ineligible from the draw; it was won by the Philadelphia Eagles, who selected center/linebacker Chuck Bednarik.

## Player selections

| = Pro Bowler | = Hall of Famer |

### Round one

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 1 | Philadelphia Eagles $^{(Lotterybonuspick)}$ | Chuck Bednarik | Center | Penn |
| 2 | Detroit Lions | John Rauch | Quarterback | Georgia |
| 3 | New York Bulldogs | Doak Walker | Halfback | SMU |
| 4 | New York Giants | Paul Page | Halfback | SMU |
| 5 | Green Bay Packers | Stan Heath | Quarterback | Nevada |
| 6 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Bobby Gage | Back | Clemson |
| 7 | Los Angeles Rams | Bobby Thomason | Quarterback | VMI |
| 8 | Washington Redskins | Rob Goode | Back | Texas A&M |
| 9 | Philadelphia Eagles | Frank Tripucka | Quarterback | Notre Dame |
| 10 | Chicago Cardinals | Bill Fischer | Guard | Notre Dame |
| 11 | Chicago Bears | Dick Harris | Center | Texas |

### Round two

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 12 | Detroit Lions | John Panelli | Back | Notre Dame |
| 13 | New York Bulldogs | Bob DeMoss | Back | Purdue |
| 14 | New York Giants | Al DeRogatis | Tackle | Duke |
| 15 | Green Bay Packers | Dan Dworsky | Center | Michigan |
| 16 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Harper Davis | Back | Mississippi State |
| 17 | Los Angeles Rams | George Sims | Back | Baylor |
| 18 | Washington Redskins | Laurie Niemi | Tackle | Washington State |
| 19 | Philadelphia Eagles | Frank Burns | Back | Rutgers |
| 20 | Chicago Bears | Billy Grimes | Back | Oklahoma A&M |
| 21 | Chicago Cardinals | Dick McKissack | Back | SMU |

### Round three

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 22 | Detroit Lions | Lou Kusserow | Back | Columbia |
| 23 | New York Bulldogs | Phil Colella | Back | St. Bonaventure |
| 24 | New York Giants | Bill Olson | Back | Columbia |
| 25 | Green Bay Packers | Lou Ferry | Tackle | Villanova |
| 26 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Bill Walsh | Center | Notre Dame |
| 27 | Los Angeles Rams | Jim Winkler | Tackle | Texas A&M |
| 28 | Washington Redskins | Len Szafaryn | Tackle | North Carolina |
| 29 | Philadelphia Eagles | Frank Ziegler | Back | Georgia Tech |
| 30 | New York Bulldogs | Lynn Chewning | Back | Hampden–Sydney |
| 31 | Chicago Bears | Red O'Quinn | End | Wake Forest |

### Round four

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 32 | Detroit Lions | Joe Sullivan | Back | Dartmouth |
| 33 | New York Bulldogs | Huey Keeney | Back | Rice |
| 34 | Green Bay Packers | Bob Summerhays | Back | Utah |
| 35 | New York Giants | Bill Kay | Tackle | Iowa |
| 36 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Joe Geri | Back | Georgia |
| 37 | Los Angeles Rams | Norm Van Brocklin | Quarterback | Oregon |
| 38 | Washington Redskins | Mike DeNoia | Back | Scranton |
| 39 | Chicago Bears | Ben Bendrick | Back | Wisconsin |
| 40 | Chicago Cardinals | John Goldsberry | Tackle | Indiana |
| 41 | Philadelphia Eagles | Don Panciera | Back | San Francisco |

### Round five

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 42 | Detroit Lions | George Brodnax | End | Georgia Tech |
| 43 | Green Bay Packers | Glenn Lewis | Back | Texas Tech |
| 44 | New York Bulldogs | Mike Boyda | Back | Washington & Lee |
| 45 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Bill Long | End | Oklahoma A&M |
| 46 | New York Giants | J. D. Cheek | Guard | Oklahoma A&M |
| 47 | Los Angeles Rams | Dixie Howell | Back | Ole Miss |
| 48 | Washington Redskins | Eddie Berrang | End | Villanova |
| 49 | Chicago Bears | John Hoffman | Back | Arkansas |
| 50 | Chicago Cardinals | Tom Wham | End | Furman |
| 51 | Philadelphia Eagles | Terry Brennan | Back | Notre Dame |

### Round six

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 52 | Detroit Lions | Bob Meinert | Back | Oklahoma A&M |
| 53 | New York Bulldogs | Albin Collins | Back | LSU |
| 54 | Green Bay Packers | Joe Ethridge | Tackle | SMU |
| 55 | New York Giants | Abe Gibron | Guard | Purdue |
| 56 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Doug Brightwell | Center | TCU |
| 57 | Los Angeles Rams | Charles Reynolds | Back | Texas Tech |
| 58 | Philadelphia Eagles | Warren Huey | End | Michigan State |
| 59 | Chicago Bears | Jerry Krall | Back | Ohio State |
| 60 | Chicago Cardinals | Bernie Hanula | Tackle | Wake Forest |
| 61 | New York Bulldogs | Sam Tamburo | End | Penn State |

### Round seven

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 62 | Chicago Cardinals | Myrl Greathouse | Back | Oklahoma |
| 63 | Los Angeles Rams | Jerry Williams | Back | Washington State |
| 64 | New York Bulldogs | Pete Wismann | Center | St. Louis |
| 65 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Bill Talarico | Back | Penn |
| 66 | New York Giants | Frank LoVuolo | End | St. Bonaventure |
| 67 | Los Angeles Rams | Jon Baker | Guard | California |
| 68 | Washington Redskins | Chet Fritz | Guard | Missouri |
| 69 | Chicago Bears | Wallace Jones | End | Kentucky |
| 70 | Chicago Cardinals | Jim Cain | End | Alabama |
| 71 | Philadelphia Eagles | Frank Gillespie | Guard | Clemson |

### Round eight

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 72 | Chicago Bears | Bones Weatherly | Center | Rice |
| 73 | New York Bulldogs | Mike Rubish | End | North Carolina |
| 74 | Green Bay Packers | Dan Orlich | End | Nevada |
| 75 | New York Giants | John Salscheider | Back | St. Thomas (MN) |
| 76 | Pittsburgh Steelers | George Brown | Guard | TCU |
| 77 | Los Angeles Rams | John Waldrum | Guard | Sul Ross |
| 78 | Washington Redskins | Bob Kennedy | Back | North Carolina |
| 79 | Chicago Bears | Bill Wightkin | End | Notre Dame |
| 80 | Chicago Cardinals | Joe E. Brown | Back | Georgia Tech |
| 81 | Philadelphia Eagles | Bob Dean | Back | Cornell |

### Round nine

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 82 | Detroit Lions | Chuck Drazenovich | Back | Penn State |
| 83 | Green Bay Packers | Ev Faunce | Back | Minnesota |
| 84 | New York Bulldogs | Bernie Craig | Tackle | Denver |
| 85 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Tom Brennan | Tackle | Boston College |
| 86 | New York Giants | Joe Soboleski | Guard | Michigan |
| 87 | Los Angeles Rams | Johnny Smith | End | Arizona |
| 88 | Washington Redskins | Ed McNeil | End | Michigan |
| 89 | Chicago Bears | Dolph Tokarczyk | Guard | Penn |
| 90 | Chicago Cardinals | Hal Herring | Center | Auburn |
| 91 | Philadelphia Eagles | Jonathan Jenkins | Tackle | Dartmouth |

### Round ten

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 92 | Detroit Lions | Bill Davis | Guard | Duke |
| 93 | New York Bulldogs | John Geary | Tackle | Wesleyan |
| 94 | Los Angeles Rams | George Buksar | Back | Purdue |
| 95 | New York Giants | Gene Rossides | Back | Columbia |
| 96 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Bob Hood | End | Alabama |
| 97 | Los Angeles Rams | Max Minnich | Back | Bowling Green |
| 98 | Washington Redskins | Vic Vasicek | Guard | Texas |
| 99 | Chicago Bears | Lee Nalley | Back | Vanderbilt |
| 100 | Chicago Cardinals | Bob Hecker | Back | Baldwin Wallace |
| 101 | Philadelphia Eagles | Roy Lester | End | West Virginia |

### Round eleven

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 102 | Detroit Lions | Ernie Settembre | Tackle | Miami (FL) |
| 103 | Green Bay Packers | Harry Larche | Tackle | Arkansas State |
| 104 | New York Bulldogs | Edo Mencotti | Back | Detroit |
| 105 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Al Sanders | Center | Mississippi Southern |
| 106 | New York Giants | Dick Hensley | End | Kentucky |
| 107 | Los Angeles Rams | Jim Cozad | Tackle | Iowa |
| 108 | Washington Redskins | Homer Hobbs | Guard | Georgia |
| 109 | Chicago Bears | Jerry Tiblier | Back | Ole Miss |
| 110 | Chicago Cardinals | Stan Flowers | End | Redlands |
| 111 | Philadelphia Eagles | Bobby Wilson | Back | Ole Miss |

### Round twelve

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 112 | Detroit Lions | Virgil Boteler | Center | New Mexico |
| 113 | New York Bulldogs | Mornane Maenhout | End | St. John's (MN) |
| 114 | Green Bay Packers | Rebel Roy Steiner | End | Alabama |
| 115 | New York Giants | George Sundheim | Back | Northwestern |
| 116 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Jim Finks | Quarterback | Tulsa |
| 117 | Los Angeles Rams | Bill Renna | Center | Santa Clara |
| 118 | Washington Redskins | Harry Varner | Tackle | Arizona |
| 119 | Chicago Bears | George Blanda | Quarterback | Kentucky |
| 120 | Chicago Cardinals | Billy Stone | Back | Bradley |
| 121 | Philadelphia Eagles | Dale Armstrong | End | Dartmouth |

### Round thirteen

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 122 | Detroit Lions | Al Russas | End | Tennessee |
| 123 | Green Bay Packers | Al Mastrangeli | Center | Illinois |
| 124 | New York Bulldogs | Jim Dieckelman | End | Holy Cross |
| 125 | Pittsburgh Steelers | R. R. Walston | Guard | North Texas State Teachers |
| 126 | New York Giants | Bill Austin | Tackle | Oregon State |
| 127 | Los Angeles Rams | Paul Barry | Back | Tulsa |
| 128 | Washington Redskins | Ed Henke | Tackle | USC |
| 129 | Chicago Bears | George Taliaferro | Back | Indiana |
| 130 | Chicago Cardinals | Bob Todd | Tackle | Louisville |
| 131 | Philadelphia Eagles | Lyle Button | Tackle | Illinois |

### Round fourteen

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 132 | Detroit Lions | Dale Panter | Tackle | Utah State |
| 133 | New York Bulldogs | Ed Toscani | Back | Dayton |
| 134 | Green Bay Packers | Bobby Williams | Center | Texas Tech |
| 135 | New York Giants | Norb Adams | Back | Purdue |
| 136 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Dave Moon | Back | SMU |
| 137 | Los Angeles Rams | Ed Carmichael | Tackle | Oregon State |
| 138 | Washington Redskins | Pat Haggerty | End | William & Mary |
| 139 | Chicago Bears | Ernie Kelly | Guard | Texas Mines |
| 140 | Chicago Cardinals | Tony Klimek | End | Illinois |
| 141 | Philadelphia Eagles | Bobby Lund | Back | Tennessee |

### Round fifteen

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 142 | Detroit Lions | Bob Pifferini | Center | San Jose State |
| 143 | Green Bay Packers | Ken Cooper | Guard | Vanderbilt |
| 144 | New York Bulldogs | George Ramacorti | Guard | Boston University |
| 145 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Ed Sobczak | End | Michigan |
| 146 | New York Giants | Ralph Pickelsimer | Center | Otterbein |
| 147 | Los Angeles Rams | J. C. Dodd | Back | Sul Ross |
| 148 | Washington Redskins | Gene Frassetto | Tackle | California |
| 149 | Chicago Bears | Hal Faverty | Guard | Wisconsin |
| 150 | Chicago Cardinals | Bob McQuade | Back | Xavier |
| 151 | Philadelphia Eagles | Carl Copp | Tackle | Vanderbilt |

### Round sixteen

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 152 | Detroit Lions | Kimball Merrill | Tackle | BYU |
| 153 | New York Bulldogs | Jack Bruce | Back | William & Mary |
| 154 | Green Bay Packers | Gene Remenar | Tackle | West Virginia |
| 155 | New York Giants | Jerry Morrical | Tackle | Indiana |
| 156 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Denvard Snell | Tackle | Auburn |
| 157 | Los Angeles Rams | Joe Morgan | Guard | Mississippi Southern |
| 158 | Washington Redskins | Dick Flowers | Tackle | Alabama |
| 159 | Chicago Bears | Al Wahl | Tackle | Michigan |
| 160 | Chicago Cardinals | Tom Murdock | Back | Appalachian State |
| 161 | Philadelphia Eagles | Frank Reno | End | West Virginia |

### Round seventeen

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 162 | Detroit Lions | Zealand Thigpen | Back | Vanderbilt |
| 163 | Green Bay Packers | Paul Devine | Back | Heidelberg |
| 164 | New York Bulldogs | Warren Beson | Center | Minnesota |
| 165 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Veto Kissell | Back | Holy Cross |
| 166 | New York Giants | Wally Teninga | Back | Michigan |
| 167 | Los Angeles Rams | Dick Sheffield | End | Tulane |
| 168 | Washington Redskins | Ross Pritchard | Back | Arkansas |
| 169 | Chicago Bears | John Corbisiero | Back | Middlebury |
| 170 | Chicago Cardinals | Eddie Rupp | Back | Denison |
| 171 | Philadelphia Eagles | Leo Skladany | End | Pittsburgh |

### Round eighteen

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 172 | Detroit Lions | Bill Wehr | Center | Denison |
| 173 | New York Bulldogs | Albie Gould | End | Boston College |
| 174 | Green Bay Packers | Floyd Lewis | Guard | SMU |
| 175 | New York Giants | Dick Nutt | Back | North Texas State Teachers |
| 176 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Clint Shipman | Tackle | East Texas State |
| 177 | Los Angeles Rams | Hillary Chollet | Back | Cornell |
| 178 | Washington Redskins | Herb Siegert | Guard | Illinois |
| 179 | Chicago Bears | Jim Moran | Back | John Carroll |
| 180 | Chicago Cardinals | Webb Halbert | Back | Iowa |
| 181 | Philadelphia Eagles | Russ Strait | Back | Muhlenberg |

### Round nineteen

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 182 | Detroit Lions | Wallace Triplett | Back | Penn State |
| 183 | Green Bay Packers | Robert Folsom | End | SMU |
| 184 | New York Bulldogs | Bob Reich | Tackle | Colgate |
| 185 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Jack McBride | End | Rice |
| 186 | New York Giants | Ken McCall | Back | Georgia |
| 187 | Los Angeles Rams | Joe Leonard | Tackle | Virginia |
| 188 | Washington Redskins | Bob Hainlen | Back | Colorado A&M |
| 189 | Chicago Bears | Robert Mitten | Guard | North Carolina |
| 190 | Chicago Cardinals | Dean Laun | End | Iowa State |
| 191 | Philadelphia Eagles | Paul Odom | Guard | Rollins |

### Round twenty

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 192 | Detroit Lions | Joe Romano | Tackle | North Carolina |
| 193 | New York Bulldogs | Frank Gaul | Tackle | Notre Dame |
| 194 | Green Bay Packers | Larry Cooney | Back | Penn State |
| 195 | New York Giants | Pat O'Sullivan | Center | Alabama |
| 196 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Ben Mann | Guard | Ole Miss |
| 197 | Los Angeles Rams | Lloyd Eisenberg | Tackle | Duke |
| 198 | Washington Redskins | Oliver Fletcher | End | USC |
| 199 | Chicago Bears | Bob Heck | Back | Pacific |
| 200 | Chicago Cardinals | Earl Rowan | Tackle | Hardin–Simmons |
| 201 | Philadelphia Eagles | Lloyd Brinkman | Back | Missouri |

### Round twenty-one

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 202 | Detroit Lions | Jack Lininger | Center | Ohio State |
| 203 | Green Bay Packers | Ken Kranz | Back | UW–Milwaukee |
| 204 | New York Bulldogs | Sammy Pierce | Back | Baylor |
| 205 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Joe Jackura | Center | Georgia |
| 206 | New York Giants | A. D. Cate | Guard | North Texas State Teachers |
| 207 | Los Angeles Rams | George Teufel | Back | Lock Haven |
| 208 | Washington Redskins | Tommy Hughes | Back | Duke |
| 209 | Chicago Bears | Jim Duncan | End | Duke |
| 210 | Chicago Cardinals | Leon Joslin | Back | TCU |
| 211 | Philadelphia Eagles | Lou Futrell | Back | USC |

### Round twenty-two

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 212 | Detroit Lions | Gil Tobler | Back | Utah |
| 213 | New York Bulldogs | Jim Lail | Back | Wake Forest |
| 214 | Green Bay Packers | Jay Kordich | Back | USC |
| 215 | New York Giants | Tom Fetzer | Back | Wake Forest |
| 216 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Lloyd Johnson | Back | West Texas State |
| 217 | Los Angeles Rams | Ed Hamilton | End | Arkansas |
| 218 | Washington Redskins | Bill Clements | End | UCLA |
| 219 | Chicago Bears | Dick Bertuzzi | Back | Kansas |
| 220 | Chicago Cardinals | Bill Sprang | Center | Purdue |
| 221 | Philadelphia Eagles | Harvey Kingry | Back | Colorado Mines |

### Round twenty-three

| Rnd. | Pick No. | NFL team | Player | Pos. | College | Conf. |
| 23 | 222 | Detroit Lions | Patterson, R. B.R. B. Patterson | OG | Mississippi State | SEC |
| 23 | 223 | Green Bay Packers | Bill Kelley | E | Texas Tech | Border |
| 23 | 224 | New York Bulldogs | Lanza, NickNick Lanza | B | Rice | SWC |
| 23 | 225 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Jim Owens | E | Oklahoma | Big Seven |
| 23 | 226 | New York Giants | Cletus Fischer | B | Nebraska | Big Seven |
| 23 | 227 | Los Angeles Rams | Kersulis, WaltWalt Kersulis | E | Illinois | Big Ten |
| 23 | 228 | Washington Redskins | Frank Pattee | B | Kansas | Big Seven |
| 23 | 229 | Chicago Bears | Kane, HarryHarry Kane | C | Pacific | CCAA |
| 23 | 230 | Chicago Cardinals | Cox, BobBob Cox | E | North Carolina | SoCon |
| 23 | 231 | Philadelphia Eagles | Kalver, HankHank Kalver | T | Oklahoma City | Ind. |

### Round twenty-four

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 232 | Detroit Lions | Oswald Clark | End | Michigan |
| 233 | New York Bulldogs | Joe Ponsalle | Tackle | Trinity (CT) |
| 234 | Green Bay Packers | Jimmy Ford | Back | Tulsa |
| 235 | New York Giants | Don McAuliffe | Back | Notre Dame |
| 236 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Ivan Snowden | Tackle | Texas A&I |
| 237 | Los Angeles Rams | Fred Klemenok | Back | San Francisco |
| 238 | Washington Redskins | Jim Cullom | Guard | California |
| 239 | Chicago Bears | Bernie Smith | Tackle | Texas Mines |
| 240 | Chicago Cardinals | Stan Szymakowski | Back | Lehigh |
| 241 | Philadelphia Eagles | Fred Leon | Tackle | Nevada |

### Round twenty-five

| Pick # | NFL team | Player | Position | College |
| 242 | Detroit Lions | Les Cowan | End | McMurry |
| 243 | Green Bay Packers | Frank Lambright | Guard | Arkansas |
| 244 | New York Bulldogs | Paul Girolamo | Back | Cornell |
| 245 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Bobby Gaff | Back | Texas A&M |
| 246 | New York Giants | Gene Degyanski | End | Baldwin Wallace |
| 247 | Los Angeles Rams | Clay Matthews | Tackle | Georgia Tech |
| 248 | Washington Redskins | Nick Sebek | Back | Indiana |
| 249 | Chicago Bears | Stan Marczyk | Tackle | North Carolina |
| 250 | New York Giants | Ralph Doran | Back | Iowa |
| 251 | Philadelphia Eagles | John Schweder | Guard | Penn |
* = Hall of Famer

## Hall of Famers

* Chuck Bednarik, center from the University of Pennsylvania taken 1st round 1st overall by the Philadelphia Eagles.
    Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1967.
* Norm Van Brocklin, quarterback from the University of Oregon taken 4th round 37th overall by the Los Angeles Rams.
    Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1971.
* George Blanda, quarterback from the University of Kentucky taken 12th round 119th overall by the Chicago Bears.
    Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1981.
* Doak Walker, halfback from Southern Methodist University taken 1st round 3rd overall by the Boston Yanks.
    Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1986.
* Jim Finks, quarterback from Tulsa taken 12th round 116th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
    Inducted: For his achievements as an Executive Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1995.
* Although not an inductee, Wallace Triplett's photograph hangs in the Hall of Fame in recognition of his being the first African-American to be drafted by and play for a National Football League team.

## Notable undrafted players

| $^†$ | = Pro Bowler |
| Original NFL team | Player | Pos. | College | Conf. | Notes |
| Los Angeles Rams | Vitamin Smith | HB | Abilene Christian | Texas | |
| Los Angeles Rams | Paul "Tank" Younger $^†$ | HB | Grambling State | Ind. | |