National Football League draft
The 1945 NFL draft was held on April 8, 1945, at the Commodore Hotel in New York City, New York .[ 1] Perhaps as a tip of the hat to wartime sensibilities, the 1945 draft was officially called the "1944 Preferred Negotiations List" by the league.[ 2]
With the first overall pick of the draft, the Chicago Cardinals selected halfback Charley Trippi .
Although there were formally 32 rounds of the draft, each of the 11 teams made a total of 30 selections, with a total of 330 players chosen.[ 3] A total of 22 players were selected before they became eligible for the draft under league rules.[ 3] These draft choices were forfeited by the team and are noted below. The actual number of drafted-and-eligible players chosen in the 1945 draft was thus 308.[ 3]
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
33
Pittsburgh Steelers
Chuck Mehelich
End
Duquesne
34
Brooklyn Tigers
Al Kowalski
Quarterback
Tulsa
35
Chicago Cardinals
Zeke Chronister
End
TCU
36
Boston Yanks (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
Johnny Strzykalski
Back
Marquette
37
Cleveland Rams
Roger Harding
Center
California
38
Washington Redskins
George Bujan
Center
Oregon
39
Detroit Lions
Bob Wiese
Back
Michigan
40
Chicago Bears
Forest Masterson
Center
Iowa
41
Philadelphia Eagles
Pete Pihos
End
Indiana
42
New York Giants
Ed Castleberry
Back
West Texas State
43
Green Bay Packers
Joe Graham
End
Florida
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
55
Chicago Cardinals
Ziggy Czarobski
Tackle
Notre Dame
56
Pittsburgh Steelers
Mike Wolak
Back
Duquesne
57
Brooklyn Tigers
Louie Futrell
Back
Fresno State
58
Boston Yanks
Marty Silovich
Center
Marquette
59
Cleveland Rams
Fred Negus
Center
Wisconsin
60
Chicago Bears
Glen Burgeis
Tackle
Tulsa
61
Washington Redskins
John Steber
Guard
Georgia Tech
62
Detroit Lions
Mike Jarmoluk
Tackle
Temple
63
Philadelphia Eagles
Gonzalo Morales
Back
St. Mary's (CA)
64
New York Giants
Jack Mead
End
Wisconsin
65
Green Bay Packers
Casey Stephenson
Back
Tennessee
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
66
Pittsburgh Steelers
Tom Hughes
Tackle
Missouri
67
Brooklyn Tigers
John Dodds
Guard
California
68
Chicago Cardinals
John Harrington
End
Marquette
69
Boston Yanks
Ellis Jones
Guard
Tulsa
70
Cleveland Rams
Johnny August
Back
Alabama
71
Washington Redskins
Art Porter
End
Tulane
72
Detroit Lions
Jack Lowther
Back
Detroit
73
Chicago Bears
Pat O'Brien
Tackle
Purdue
74
Philadelphia Eagles
Sam Robinson
Back
Washington
75
New York Giants
Nick Vodick
Back
Northwestern
76
Green Bay Packers
Toby Collins
Tackle
Tulsa
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
77
Brooklyn Tigers
Elting Johnson
Back
Bucknell
78
Chicago Cardinals
Gene Meeks
Back
Kentucky
79
Pittsburgh Steelers
Leon Pense
Back
Arkansas
80
Boston Yanks
Earl Lambert
Back
Manhattan
81
Cleveland Rams
Dick Huffman
Tackle
Tennessee
82
Detroit Lions
Les Joop
Tackle
Illinois
83
Chicago Bears
Bill Mayther
Center
Oregon
84
Washington Redskins
Curt Kuykendall
Back
Auburn
85
Philadelphia Eagles
Forrest Hall
Back
San Francisco
86
New York Giants
John Rudan
Back
Marquette
87
Green Bay Packers
Lamar Dingler
End
Arkansas
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
88
Chicago Cardinals
Bill Huber
End
Notre Dame
89
Pittsburgh Steelers
Art Brandau
Center
Tennessee
90
Brooklyn Tigers
Roy Cross
End
Tennessee
91
Boston Yanks
Don Kasprzak
Back
Dartmouth
92
Cleveland Rams
Vern Walters
Back
Alma
93
Chicago Bears
Bill Poe
Back
Clemson
94
Washington Redskins
Frank Brogger
End
Michigan State
95
Detroit Lions
Paul Walker
End
Yale
96
Philadelphia Eagles
Joe Sadonis
Tackle
Fordham
97
New York Giants
Vic Smith
Back
UCLA
98
Green Bay Packers
Hal Helscher
Back
LSU
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
99
Pittsburgh Steelers
Ray Ball
Back
Holy Cross
100
Brooklyn Tigers
Earl Haury
Tackle
Kansas State
101
Chicago Cardinals
Halley Heard
Tackle
LSU
102
Boston Yanks
Ben Jones
End
Arkansas
103
Cleveland Rams
Tom Fears
End
UCLA
104
Washington Redskins
Mack Creger
Back
Northwestern
105
Detroit Lions
Howie Hansen
Tackle
Utah State
106
Chicago Bears
Chuck Avery
Back
Minnesota
107
Philadelphia Eagles
Rudy Mobley
Back
Hardin–Simmons
108
New York Giants
Jim Young
Tackle
Arkansas
109
Green Bay Packers
Ralph Hammond
Center
Pittsburgh
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
110
Brooklyn Tigers
John Martin
Back
East Tennessee State
111
Chicago Cardinals
Bob Cowan
Back
Indiana
112
Pittsburgh Steelers (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
Frank Basilone
Back
Duquesne
113
Boston Yanks
Herb Coleman
Center
Notre Dame
114
Cleveland Rams
Joe Winkler
Center
Purdue
115
Detroit Lions
Mike Kasap
Tackle
Illinois
116
Chicago Bears
Jack Boyd
Back
UCLA
117
Washington Redskins
Paul McKee
End
Syracuse
118
Philadelphia Eagles
Jim Newmeyer
Tackle
St. Vincent
119
New York Giants
Billy Bevis
Back
Tennessee
120
Green Bay Packers
Ed Podgorski
Tackle
Lafayette
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
132
Pittsburgh Steelers
Mel Odelli
Back
Duquesne
133
Brooklyn Tigers
Hal Self
Back
Alabama
134
Chicago Cardinals
Solon Barnett
Guard
Baylor
135
Boston Yanks
John DiGangi
Tackle
Holy Cross
136
Cleveland Rams
Chuck Uknes
Back
Iowa
137
Washington Redskins
John Putnik
End
Utah State
138
Detroit Lions
Ben Trickey
Back
Iowa
139
Chicago Bears
Frank Mattioli
Guard
Pittsburgh
140
Philadelphia Eagles
John Duda
Back
Virginia
141
New York Giants
Stan Rhoades
Back
Mississippi State
142
Green Bay Packers
Marv Lindsey
Back
Arkansas
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
143
Brooklyn Tigers
Tom Reilly
Guard
Fordham
144
Chicago Cardinals
Gordon Carver
Back
Duke
145
Pittsburgh Steelers (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
George Connor
Tackle
Notre Dame
146
Boston Yanks
Chan Highsmith
Center
North Carolina
147
Cleveland Rams (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
Bill Lund
Back
Case Western Reserve
148
Detroit Lions
Windell Williams
End
Rice
149
Chicago Bears
Merle Gibson
End
TCU
150
Washington Redskins
Eddie Saenz
Back
USC
151
Philadelphia Eagles
Bill Montgomery
Back
LSU
152
New York Giants
Jack Wink
Back
Wisconsin
153
Green Bay Packers
Buster McClure
Tackle
Nevada
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
154
Chicago Cardinals (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
John Cannady
Back
Indiana
155
Pittsburgh Steelers
Jim Ungles
Back
Kansas State
156
Brooklyn Tigers
Skimp Harrison
End
South Carolina
157
Boston Yanks
Mike Costello
End
Georgetown
158
Cleveland Rams
Bob Barton
End
Holy Cross
159
Chicago Bears
John Creevey
Back
Notre Dame
160
Washington Redskins
Dom Fusci
Tackle
South Carolina
161
Detroit Lions
Wayne Flanigan
End
Denver
162
Philadelphia Eagles
Howard Werner
End
Syracuse
163
New York Giants
Jim Little
Tackle
Kentucky
164
Green Bay Packers
Harry Pieper
Center
California
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
176
Brooklyn Tigers
Virgil Eikenberg
Back
Rice
177
Chicago Cardinals
Ralph Strayhorn
Guard
North Carolina
178
Pittsburgh Steelers
Alex Wizbicki
Back
Holy Cross
179
Boston Yanks
Dolph Czekala
Tackle
Syracuse
180
Cleveland Rams
Lee Kennon
Tackle
Oklahoma
181
Detroit Lions
Jim McWhorter
Back
Alabama
182
Chicago Bears
Jim Keane
End
Iowa
183
Washington Redskins (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
Ed Stacco
Tackle
Colgate
184
Philadelphia Eagles
Quentin Klenk
Tackle
USC
185
New York Giants
Bill Byrd
Center
Maryland
186
Green Bay Packers
Frank Hazard
Guard
Nebraska
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
187
Chicago Cardinals
John Andretich
Back
Purdue
188
Pittsburgh Steelers
Jim Landrigan
Tackle
Dartmouth
189
Brooklyn Tigers
Al Kasulin
Back
Villanova
190
Boston Yanks
Joe Drumm
Tackle
Georgetown
191
Cleveland Rams
Eagle Matulich
Back
Mississippi State
192
Chicago Bears
Bruno Niedziela
Tackle
Iowa
193
Washington Redskins
Jim Bradshaw
Center
Auburn
194
Detroit Lions
Clyde LeForce
Back
Tulsa
195
Philadelphia Eagles
Joe Spencer
Tackle
Oklahoma A&M
196
New York Giants
Glenn Morries
Tackle
Texas
197
Green Bay Packers
Ed Jeffers
Tackle
Oklahoma A&M
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
198
Pittsburgh Steelers
Bill Lilienthal
Tackle
Villanova
199
Brooklyn Tigers
Charley Lively
Tackle
Arkansas
200
Chicago Cardinals
Jack Kramer
Tackle
Marquette
201
Boston Yanks
Mario Giannelli
Tackle
Boston College
202
Cleveland Rams
Bill Griffin
Tackle
Kentucky
203
Washington Redskins
Bill Shipkey
Back
Stanford
204
Detroit Lions
Mike Castronis
Guard
Georgia
205
Chicago Bears
Broughton Williams
End
Florida
206
Philadelphia Eagles
Leo Pratt
Tackle
Oklahoma A&M
207
New York Giants
Pete Davis
Back
Santa Clara
208
Green Bay Packers
Bill Prentice
Back
Santa Clara
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
209
Brooklyn Tigers
Ted Curran
Back
Iowa
210
Chicago Cardinals
Red Cheek
Guard
Baylor
211
Pittsburgh Steelers
Art Price
Back
Rutgers
212
Boston Yanks
Eric Jamison
Tackle
San Francisco
213
Cleveland Rams
Leroy Erickson
Back
Oregon
214
Detroit Lions
Ken Currier
Guard
Wisconsin
215
Chicago Bears
Walt Stickel
Tackle
Penn
216
Washington Redskins
Sid Halliday
Tackle
SMU
217
Philadelphia Eagles
Phil Teschner
Tackle
Brown
218
New York Giants
Sam Vacanti
Back
Iowa
219
Green Bay Packers
Warren Fuller
End
Fordham
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
220
Chicago Cardinals
Fred Grant
Back
Alabama[ 5]
221
Pittsburgh Steelers
Don Malmberg
Back
UCLA
222
Brooklyn Tigers (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
Don Fabling
Back
Colorado
223
Boston Yanks
Walt Kretz
Back
Cornell
224
Cleveland Rams (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
Ray Evans
Tackle
Texas Western
225
Chicago Bears
Bob Livingstone
Back
Notre Dame
226
Washington Redskins (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
Chick Davidson
Tackle
Cornell
227
Detroit Lions
Jack Verutti
Back
St. Mary's (CA)
228
Philadelphia Eagles
John Magee
Guard
Rice
229
New York Giants
Vern Oliver
Center
Washington State
230
Green Bay Packers
Fred Neilsen
Tackle
St. Mary's (CA)
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
231
Pittsburgh Steelers
Everett Hartwell
End
Auburn
232
Brooklyn Tigers
Wally Crittenden
Back
USC
233
Chicago Cardinals (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
Johnny Cook
Back
Georgia
234
Boston Yanks (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
Marty Grbovaz
End
San Francisco
235
Cleveland Rams
Luke Higgins
Tackle
Notre Dame
236
Washington Redskins
Gabby Martin
End
SMU
237
Detroit Lions
Ray Olsen
Back
Tulane
238
Chicago Bears
Mike Vargon
End
Kansas State
239
Philadelphia Eagles
Monk Mosley
Back
Alabama
240
New York Giants
Jim Chadwell
Tackle
Tennessee
241
Green Bay Packers
Bob Gilmore
Back
Washington
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
242
Brooklyn Tigers
Jules Taddie
Center
Rochester
243
Chicago Cardinals
Ardie McClure
Tackle
Georgia
244
Pittsburgh Steelers
Ed Cain
Back
Rice
245
Boston Yanks
Ziggy Gory
Center
Villanova
246
Cleveland Rams
Stan Nowak
End
South Carolina
247
Detroit Lions
Russ Morrow
Center
Tennessee
248
Chicago Bears
Charley Wright
Guard
Iowa State
249
Washington Redskins
James McCurdy
Center
Washington
250
Philadelphia Eagles
Blair Brown
Guard
Oklahoma A&M
251
New York Giants
Vince Mroz
End
Michigan State
252
Green Bay Packers
Lloyd Baxter
Center
SMU
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
253
Chicago Cardinals
Hugo Norige
Back
Wooster
254
Pittsburgh Steelers
Angelo Carlaccini
Back
Pittsburgh
255
Brooklyn Tigers
Jerry Whitney
Back
USC
256
Boston Yanks (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
Bill Iancelli
End
William & Mary
257
Cleveland Rams
Gene Konopka
Guard
Villanova
258
Chicago Bears
Jack Green
Guard
Alabama
259
Washington Redskins
Cecil Souders
End
Ohio State
260
Detroit Lions
Stan Green
Tackle
Oklahoma
261
Philadelphia Eagles
Bob Hall
End
Stanford
262
New York Giants
George Kita
Back
Drake
263
Green Bay Packers
Nolan Luhn
End
Tulsa
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
264
Pittsburgh Steelers
Ed Burns
Back
Boston College
265
Brooklyn Tigers (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
Felix Trapani
Guard
LSU
266
Chicago Cardinals (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
Red Knight
Back
LSU
267
Boston Yanks
Al Kull
Tackle
Fordham
268
Cleveland Rams
Ray Florek
Back
Illinois
269
Washington Redskins (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
Ben Wall
Back
Western Michigan
270
Detroit Lions
Bob Ivory
Guard
Detroit
271
Chicago Bears
Lu Gambino
Back
Maryland
272
Philadelphia Eagles
Dan Talcott
Tackle
Nevada
273
New York Giants
Doug Graham
Tackle
Stanford
274
Green Bay Packers
Nestor Blanco
Guard
Colorado Mines
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
275
Brooklyn Tigers
Hal Finney
Back
USC
276
Chicago Cardinals
Don Fambrough
Back
Texas
277
Pittsburgh Steelers
Glen Stough
Tackle
Duke
278
Boston Yanks
Bob Mangene
Back
Boston College
279
Cleveland Rams
Russ Perry
Back
Wake Forest
280
Detroit Lions
Dell Taylor
Back
Tulsa
281
Chicago Bears
Ray Jones
Back
Texas
282
Washington Redskins
George Hillery
End
Texas Western
283
Philadelphia Eagles
Bill Thompson
Tackle
New Mexico
284
New York Giants
Jack Dillon
End
Texas Tech
285
Green Bay Packers
Bill Chestnut
Back
Kansas
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
286
Chicago Cardinals
Bulldog Williams
Tackle
Duke
287
Pittsburgh Steelers
Jim Marsh
Tackle
Oklahoma State
288
Brooklyn Tigers
Don Fauble
Back
Oklahoma
289
Boston Yanks
John Morelli
Guard
Georgetown
290
Cleveland Rams
Pat West
Back
USC
291
Chicago Bears
Bob Hary
Back
Minnesota
292
Washington Redskins
Milford Dreblow
Back
USC
293
Detroit Lions
Len Ciesla
Back
Creighton
294
Philadelphia Eagles
Al Fleming
Center
Wichita
295
New York Giants
Charley J'Anthony
Back
Brown
296
Green Bay Packers
Jim Thompson
Back
Washington State
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
297
Pittsburgh Steelers (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
Ralph Grant
Back
Bucknell
298
Brooklyn Tigers
Nick Studen
Back
Denver
299
Chicago Cardinals
Ed Dusek
Back
Texas A&M
300
Boston Yanks
John Fisher
Center
Harvard
301
Cleveland Rams
Bill Davis
Back
Oregon
302
Washington Redskins (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
Frank Irwin
Tackle
Duke
303
Detroit Lions
Frank Lopp
Tackle
Wisconsin
304
Chicago Bears
Nick Forkovitch
Back
William & Mary
305
Philadelphia Eagles
Leo Benjamin
Center
West Virginia
306
New York Giants
Ray Pipkin
Back
Arkansas
307
Green Bay Packers
Jim Evans
End
Idaho
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
308
Brooklyn Tigers (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
LeMar Dykstra
Back
Colorado
309
Chicago Cardinals
Otto Payne
Back
Texas A&M
310
Pittsburgh Steelers
John Kondrla
Tackle
St. Vincent
311
Boston Yanks
Elmer Oberto
Guard
Georgetown
312
Cleveland Rams
Charley Compton
Tackle
Alabama
313
Detroit Lions
Paul Limont
End
Notre Dame
314
Chicago Bears
Don Robinson
Back
Michigan
315
Washington Redskins
Leon Diner
End
Denver
316
Philadelphia Eagles
Jim Dougherty
Back
Miami (OH)
317
New York Giants
Joe Wolf
Center
USC
318
Green Bay Packers (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
Hamilton Nichols
Guard
Rice
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
319
Chicago Bears
Rusty Johnston
Back
Marquette
320
Washington Redskins
Bob Cummings
Center
Vanderbilt
321
Detroit Lions (Not yet eligible for selection, pick forfeited).
Ben Schadler
Back
Northwestern
322
Philadelphia Eagles
Ken Reese
Back
Alabama
323
New York Giants
Bill Broderick
Tackle
Utah
324
Green Bay Packers
John Priday
Back
Ohio State
Pick #
NFL team
Player
Position
College
325
Washington Redskins
Don Nolander
Tackle
Minnesota
326
Detroit Lions
Tom Dorais
Back
Detroit
327
Chicago Bears
George Groves
Center
Marquette
328
Philadelphia Eagles
Loren Braner
Center
Pittsburgh
329
New York Giants
John Staples
Guard
Alabama
330
Green Bay Packers
Billy Lee Aldridge
Back
Oklahoma A&M
Charley Trippi , halfback from Georgia taken 1st round 1st overall by the Chicago Cardinals.
Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1968.[ 6]
Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1968.[ 6]
Pete Pihos , defensive end from Indiana University (Bloomington) taken 5th round 41st overall by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1970.[ 7]
Tom Fears , end from the University of California, Los Angeles taken 11th round 103rd overall by the Cleveland Rams.
Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1970.[ 7]
Arnie Weinmeister , defensive tackle from Washington taken 17th round 166th overall by the Brooklyn Tigers.
Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1984.[ 8]
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 .
^ Strickler (ed.), 1945 Record and Rules Manual, p. 83.
^ a b c George Strickler (ed.), The National Football League Record and Rules Manual, 1945. Chicago: National Football League, 1945; pp. 83-100, passim.
^ a b Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career.
^ "Fred Grant" . Pro Football Archives . Retrieved July 24, 2023 .
^ a b List of 1960s Hall of Fame Inductee's at profootballhof.com "Pro Football Hall of Fame" . Archived from the original on July 31, 2008. Retrieved October 6, 2008 .
^ a b List of 1970s Hall of Fame Inductee's at profootballhof.com "Pro Football Hall of Fame" . Archived from the original on July 31, 2008. Retrieved October 6, 2008 .
^ List of 1980s Hall of Fame Inductee's at profootballhof.com "Pro Football Hall of Fame" . Archived from the original on July 31, 2008. Retrieved October 6, 2008 .