1956 NFL draft
The 1956 National Football League Draft was the 21st annual player selection meeting of the league's franchises to choose eligible college players. Held in two sessions due to the NFL's efforts to secure top talent amid competition from other professional leagues, the first three rounds took place on November 28, 1955, at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, while the remaining 27 rounds occurred on January 17–18, 1956, at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California.[1][2] With 12 teams participating across 30 rounds and a total of 360 selections, the draft marked the first year of the NFL's "bonus pick" system, where one team won a lottery for an extra first-round choice of a graduating senior; the Pittsburgh Steelers claimed defensive back Gary Glick from Colorado A&M (now Colorado State) as that bonus pick and the overall No. 1 selection.[3][4] Other early picks included quarterback Earl Morrall (No. 2, San Francisco 49ers, Michigan State), halfback Howard "Hopalong" Cassady (No. 3, Detroit Lions, Ohio State), linebacker Bob Pellegrini (No. 4, Philadelphia Eagles, Maryland), and defensive back Art Davis (No. 5, Pittsburgh Steelers, Mississippi State).[4] The draft is particularly noted for yielding multiple Pro Football Hall of Famers, many selected in the mid-to-late rounds, highlighting the depth of the 1955 college class. Wide receiver Lenny Moore, taken ninth overall by the Baltimore Colts out of Penn State, became a seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro who rushed for over 5,000 yards and caught nearly 4,000 more in his career.[4] Offensive tackle Forrest Gregg, selected 20th overall by the Green Bay Packers from Southern Methodist University, earned nine Pro Bowl nods and seven All-Pro honors en route to his 1977 Hall of Fame induction.[4] Quarterback Bart Starr, a 17th-round steal (200th overall) selected midway through the second day of the draft on January 17, 1956, by the Packers from Alabama, led Green Bay to five NFL championships and two Super Bowl victories, earning four Pro Bowl selections and his 1977 Hall of Fame enshrinement.[4][5] Defensive end Willie Davis, picked 181st overall by the Cleveland Browns out of Grambling State, later starred with the Packers, amassing 141.5 career sacks, five All-Pro honors, and induction into the Hall of Fame in 1981.[4] This class's late-round gems underscored the draft's unpredictability and the league's evolving talent evaluation in the post-World War II era.[6]Background
Historical Context
The NFL Draft originated in 1936 as a mechanism to promote competitive balance among teams by allowing them to select college players in reverse order of the previous season's standings.[7] The inaugural event, held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia, featured nine rounds and marked the league's first structured approach to talent acquisition following the implementation of a waiver system in 1934.[8] By 1956, the draft had evolved into its 21st annual iteration, expanding to 30 rounds and solidifying its role in building rosters amid growing professionalization of the sport.[8] In the mid-1950s, the NFL faced intensifying competition for top college talent from the Canadian Football League (CFL), which aggressively scouted American seniors during their final seasons.[6] Remnants of the All-America Football Conference, which had merged into the NFL in 1950, had already heightened talent wars, prompting the league to accelerate its selection process.[6] To counter CFL advances, the NFL conducted the first three rounds of the 1956 draft in late November 1955, enabling teams to sign eligible players before Canadian scouts could intervene.[9] This strategic shift from traditional January timing underscored the league's efforts to secure premier American prospects amid international rivalry.[10] The 1955 college football season produced a deep pool of athletic standouts, fueling high anticipation for the draft.[3] Oklahoma's undefeated national championship campaign and powerhouses like Ohio State and Michigan State showcased versatile talents, including Heisman Trophy winner Howard Cassady, whose rushing prowess highlighted the era's emphasis on multi-threat backs. These performances influenced expectations for a draft rich in immediate contributors, particularly at skill positions, as teams sought to bolster rosters in a physically demanding league.[3] To ensure equitable distribution of elite players beyond the champion's advantage, the NFL employed a bonus pick lottery system from 1947 to 1958, randomly awarding the first overall selection to one non-prior winner among eligible teams.[8] This temporary measure aimed to prevent perennial underperformers from monopolizing top choices while promoting parity across the league.[11] In 1956, the lottery granted Pittsburgh the bonus pick, underscoring its role in unpredictable talent allocation.[3]Bonus Pick System
The bonus pick system, in place from 1947 to 1958, awarded the NFL draft's first overall selection through a random lottery supervised by Commissioner Bert Bell, with the draw limited to teams that had not yet received such a pick. This structure ensured that each of the league's 12 franchises would secure the top choice exactly once over the system's 12-year cycle, fostering long-term parity rather than rewarding short-term poor performance.[12][8] The system's primary rationale was to equalize competition across the league by distributing premier rookie talent more evenly, thereby curbing the dominance of established contenders and eliminating incentives for teams to deliberately lose games in pursuit of the top pick. It built upon the reverse-order draft established in 1936, which had replaced the pre-draft era of open bidding for players, by introducing randomized opportunity for the top selection while the rest of the selections followed reverse order of the prior season's standings.[13][14] In 1956, the tenth year of the bonus system, only three teams remained eligible for the lottery: the Chicago Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, and Pittsburgh Steelers. Representatives from these franchises participated in the draw, where Pittsburgh's Dan Rooney selected the winning slip from Bell's hand, awarding the Steelers the No. 1 overall pick; they used it to select defensive back Gary Glick from Colorado A&M.[15][16] Following the 1958 draft, which completed the cycle for all teams, the bonus system was abolished amid concerns over its lottery-like nature, with the NFL reverting fully to a draft order determined by inverse finish in the previous season's standings.[8][12]Draft Proceedings
Dates and Locations
The 1956 NFL Draft employed a split schedule to facilitate timely signings of college seniors, with the first three rounds conducted on November 28, 1955, at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This early date allowed NFL teams to secure top prospects before the Canadian Football League's own draft process, enabling immediate contracts for graduating players.[17][9][18] The draft's remaining 27 rounds (4 through 30) occurred over two days, January 17–18, 1956, at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California, following the conclusion of the 1955 NFL season.[9][17] Comprising 30 rounds in total, the draft featured 360 selections across the league's 12 teams, with each team originally allocated 30 picks (one per round), though the distribution varied due to trades from 28 to 36 per team.[19] The initial rounds at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel involved in-person attendance by team owners, coaches, and scouts, fostering a structured gathering environment, while the later sessions in Los Angeles adopted a more administrative approach with reduced physical presence.[9]Selection Format
The 1956 NFL Draft consisted of 30 rounds, yielding a total of 360 selections among the league's 12 teams, although the distribution varied due to trades, with the Los Angeles Rams acquiring 36 picks while the Chicago Bears, New York Giants, and Washington Redskins each held 28. Teams selected in a linear format, with the order for regular picks following the reverse standings from the 1955 season in each round, positioning playoff participants—such as the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Rams—toward the end to prioritize rebuilding for lower-performing teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers; trades of picks were allowed during the event to adjust strategies. The draft's opening selection was a bonus pick awarded by lottery to one team, which was integrated as the first choice in round 1 prior to the standard rotation. Player eligibility centered on college seniors who had completed their four years of competition, with rare exceptions for juniors granted special approval by the league; selections emphasized foundational positions including quarterbacks, running backs, and offensive linemen to address team needs. Distinct from later eras, the draft lacked a supplemental process for additional claims, and scouting relied extensively on evaluations from major programs such as Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Army to identify versatile talent.Key Players
First-Round Selections
The 1956 NFL Draft's first round featured 12 selections following the bonus pick awarded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, reflecting the league's emphasis on acquiring versatile talent to bolster struggling franchises amid the era's single-wing and T-formation offenses.[4] The selections prioritized skill-position players, particularly running backs and quarterbacks, to address immediate offensive needs, with teams like the Steelers holding multiple high picks due to their poor prior-season performance.| Pick | Player | Position | College | Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Bonus) | Gary Glick | DB/QB | Colorado State | Pittsburgh Steelers | Bonus pick via lottery; versatile two-way star who led nation in interceptions (8) in 1954 and kicking percentage in 1955; Steelers sought defensive help and offensive flexibility.[20][21] |
| 2 | Earl Morrall | QB | Michigan State | San Francisco 49ers | Fourth in 1955 Heisman voting; led Spartans to national championship and Rose Bowl win; 49ers needed a successor to aging Y.A. Tittle at quarterback.[22][23] |
| 3 | Howard Cassady | HB | Ohio State | Detroit Lions | 1955 Heisman Trophy winner and unanimous All-American; rushed for 958 yards in senior year; Lions aimed to refresh backfield post-Doak Walker retirement.[24][25] |
| 4 | Bob Pellegrini | C | Maryland | Philadelphia Eagles | Unanimous All-American and ACC Player of the Year in 1955; anchored Terrapins' line during 10-0 season; Eagles targeted interior line stability.[26][27] |
| 5 | Art Davis | RB | Mississippi State | Pittsburgh Steelers | 1955 All-American and SEC Player of the Year (1954); Look Magazine National Player of the Year; Steelers added speed to backfield with second first-round choice.[28][29] |
| 6 | Joe Marconi | FB | West Virginia | Los Angeles Rams | All-Southern Conference; key in 1954 Sugar Bowl team and 31-7 record over four years; Rams acquired pick via trade with New York Giants for players Harland Svare and Stan West to bolster ground attack.[2] |
| 7 | Joe Childress | HB | Auburn | Chicago Cardinals | Two-time All-American; led Tigers in rushing during senior year and Gator Bowl MVP; Cardinals sought dynamic runner for weak offense.[30] |
| 8 | Jack Losch | HB | Miami (FL) | Green Bay Packers | All-American; set multiple rushing records for Hurricanes; Packers needed backfield depth amid rebuilding under coach Lisle Blackbourn. |
| 9 | Lenny Moore | HB | Penn State | Baltimore Colts | School-record 2,380 rushing yards; rushed for 697 yards as senior; Colts targeted versatile back to pair with Alan Ameche.[31][32] |
| 10 | Menan Schriewer | E | Texas | Chicago Bears | Led Longhorns in receiving junior and senior years (42 career catches, 690 yards); Bears aimed to improve passing game under George Halas.[33] |
| 11 | Charlie Horton | HB | Vanderbilt | Los Angeles Rams | All-American and SEC Player of the Year; set school touchdown record (12) in 1955; Rams' second pick to add speed following Marconi selection.[34] |
| 12 | Ed Vereb | HB | Maryland | Washington Redskins | All-American halfback; contributed to Terrapins' strong rushing attack; Redskins sought offensive firepower in expansion-era rebuild.[35] |