1958 NFL draft
The 1958 NFL Draft was the 23rd annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select eligible American college football players, conducted in two sessions at the Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: the first four rounds on December 2, 1957, and the final 26 rounds on January 28, 1958.[1][2] This draft marked the end of the NFL's bonus pick lottery system, which had awarded the first overall selection via a random draw among teams since 1947 to prevent bidding wars for top talent; the Chicago Cardinals won the final such lottery and used the pick on quarterback King Hill from Rice University.[3][4] Across 30 rounds and 360 total selections, the draft yielded a particularly strong class of talent, including five future Pro Football Hall of Famers: fullback Jim Taylor (second round, Green Bay Packers), linebacker Ray Nitschke (third round, Packers), guard Jerry Kramer (fourth round, Packers), defensive tackle Alex Karras (first round, Detroit Lions), and linebacker Chuck Howley (first round, Chicago Bears).[4][5] The Green Bay Packers made particularly impactful selections that formed the core of their dominant teams in the early 1960s under new head coach Vince Lombardi, winning five NFL championships and the first two Super Bowls between 1961 and 1967; key contributors from this draft included Dan Currie (first round), Taylor (a five-time All-Pro who rushed for over 8,200 yards), Nitschke (a defensive anchor and 1969 All-Pro), and Kramer (a five-time All-Pro blocker on the famous "Power Sweep" offense). This 1958 Packers draft class, highlighted by the official Packers account, is considered one of the greatest in league history.[6][5][4] Other notable first-round picks included Heisman Trophy winner John David Crow (halfback, second overall by the Cardinals from Texas A&M), who played 11 NFL seasons, as well as defensive end Lou Michaels (fourth overall by the Los Angeles Rams from Kentucky), a three-time Pro Bowler known for his placekicking prowess.[4] The draft's overall depth extended to later rounds, with players like defensive tackle Charlie Krueger (ninth overall by the San Francisco 49ers from Texas A&M) contributing to long professional careers, underscoring the era's emphasis on building rosters through collegiate pipelines amid the NFL's growing competition with emerging leagues like the American Football League.[4]Background
Historical Context in NFL Draft History
The 1958 NFL Draft marked the 23rd annual selection process in league history, conducted amid a period of gradual expansion for the National Football League, which maintained a stable roster of 12 franchises following the addition of the Baltimore Colts in 1950. This draft occurred just two years before the formation of the rival American Football League in 1960, heightening competitive pressures on the NFL to refine its talent acquisition strategies as professional football's popularity surged nationwide. The league's structure in the late 1950s emphasized regional divisions, with the 1957 season culminating in the Detroit Lions' dominant 59–14 victory over the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Championship Game, underscoring the era's competitive balance among established teams.[7] A distinctive feature of the 1958 draft was its status as the final year of the bonus pick lottery system, which had been introduced in 1947 to distribute an additional first-round selection randomly among teams that had not previously benefited from it, aiming to prevent perennial underperformers from monopolizing top talent. In its final year of 1958, with all other teams having received a bonus pick, the selection was automatically awarded to the remaining eligible team, the Chicago Cardinals, instead of via lottery.[3] Under this mechanism, the winning team drew the very first overall pick but forfeited its subsequent year's first-round choice, a rule designed to ensure equitable access over a decade-long cycle.[8] The system's discontinuation after 1958 stemmed from concerns raised by Congress likening it to gambling, prompting the NFL to adopt the modern reverse-order-of-finish format for determining draft order starting in 1959.[9] In the broader post-World War II context, the draft served as a critical tool for integrating top college football talent into the professional ranks, facilitating the league's reintegration of Black players that had begun in 1946 and expanding the talent pool beyond pre-war limitations.[10] By the late 1950s, standout college performers from integrated programs increasingly funneled through the draft, contributing to the NFL's professionalization as teams invested more systematically in scouting networks to evaluate prospects.[11] This era saw innovations in scouting practices, led by figures like Cleveland Browns coach Paul Brown, who emphasized detailed film analysis and regional coverage to identify versatile athletes capable of adapting to the league's evolving demands.[12] For instance, the Chicago Cardinals, who finished with a 3–9–0 record tied for the league-worst in 1957, were automatically awarded the bonus pick as the final team eligible under the system, giving them the first overall selection; their standing then positioned them for the second overall pick in the regular draft, illustrating how the outgoing system combined distribution independent of recent performance with performance-based ordering for regular picks.[13]Eligibility and Preparation
Eligibility for the 1958 NFL Draft was restricted to college players who had exhausted their athletic eligibility, primarily seniors, with underclassmen generally ineligible unless granted special hardship status by the league, a provision that was rarely invoked in that era.[14] This rule ensured that only players committed to professional football after completing their collegiate careers were considered, drawing from a typical pool of approximately 1,000 to 2,000 prospects nationwide, though exact figures for 1958 are not documented.[5] The 12 NFL franchises participated in the draft, operating without formalized supplemental picks, which would not be introduced until 1977, meaning all selections came from the standard college pool.[4] Scouting efforts relied on nascent NFL networks, with teams employing talent scouts to evaluate prospects through game film, campus visits, and informal contacts, as organized pre-draft workouts were not yet widespread.[15] For the Green Bay Packers, personnel director Jack Vainisi played a pivotal role by personally reaching out to potential draftees to gauge their interest in joining the team, exemplifying the personalized approach of early scouting.[16] Preparation in 1958 emphasized bolstering quarterback and lineman positions, driven by league-wide deficiencies exposed during the 1957 season, where several teams struggled with inconsistent passing games and porous lines amid a competitive championship race won by the Detroit Lions.[5] Trade rumors circulated among franchises seeking to maneuver for higher selections, adding uncertainty to strategies. The bonus lottery system, in its final year, influenced preparation for lower-performing teams by offering a chance at the top overall pick regardless of record, prompting them to scout elite talents aggressively in hopes of a random windfall.[17]Draft Logistics
Dates and Venue
The 1958 NFL Draft was split across two separate sessions, with the first four rounds conducted on December 2, 1957, and the remaining rounds 5 through 30 held on January 28, 1958.[18][19] Both sessions took place at the Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[20] Philadelphia had established itself as a recurring host for NFL drafts throughout the 1950s, providing a convenient midpoint for the league's teams, most of which were located on the East Coast.[21] The proceedings followed the era's standard format of in-person announcements by the league commissioner, without extensive on-site media coverage. The draft encompassed 30 rounds and produced 360 total selections across the rounds, with variations in round 1 (13 picks) and round 30 (11 picks) due to the bonus pick system.[4] No trades were reported during the draft itself, with all picks finalized as announced.[4]Selection Order Determination
The selection order for the 1958 NFL Draft was determined primarily by the reverse order of each team's regular-season record from the 1957 season, with the poorest-performing teams selecting first to promote competitive balance.[22] Ties in records were resolved through tiebreakers based on teams' draft positions from prior years or, if needed, by lottery draws.[4] The 1958 draft marked the final use of the NFL's bonus pick system, in place since 1947, under which one team received an extra first-round selection as the No. 1 overall pick; the winning team also forfeited its selection in the final round to maintain the total number of picks.[22] In 1958, the bonus pick was awarded automatically to the Chicago Cardinals, the only team remaining that had not received one under the rotation since 1947, granting them selections at Nos. 1 and 2.[8] This system, which completed a full rotation among the league's 12 teams by 1958, was discontinued thereafter in favor of a strict reverse-order format.[22] The resulting first-round order, reflecting the 1957 records (such as the Cardinals' 3–9–0 finish tying with the Green Bay Packers for the league's worst mark), was as follows:| Pick | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago Cardinals (bonus) |
| 2 | Chicago Cardinals |
| 3 | Green Bay Packers |
| 4 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 5 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 6 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 7 | Chicago Bears |
| 8 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 9 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 10 | Detroit Lions |
| 11 | Baltimore Colts |
| 12 | New York Giants |
| 13 | Cleveland Browns |
Player Selections
Round 1
The first round of the 1958 NFL Draft consisted of 13 selections, held on December 2, 1957, at the Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia, with the Chicago Cardinals securing the top two picks due to the league's bonus lottery system for the first overall choice—awarded to them as the only remaining team without a prior win in the annual draw—and their league-worst 3-9 record from 1957 granting the second position in the reverse-order standings.[5][4] This unusual double selection allowed the Cardinals to target offensive reinforcements amid a struggling franchise, starting with quarterback King Hill from Rice to stabilize the position and followed by Heisman Trophy winner John David Crow, a halfback from Texas A&M, to bolster the running game.[4][23] The selections reflected teams' priorities in an era emphasizing versatile linemen and backs for both offense and defense under the single-platoon system. Below is the complete list of first-round picks:| Pick | Player | Position | College | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King Hill | QB | Rice | Chicago Cardinals |
| 2 | John David Crow | HB | Texas A&M | Chicago Cardinals |
| 3 | Dan Currie | LB | Michigan State | Green Bay Packers |
| 4 | Lou Michaels | DE | Kentucky | Los Angeles Rams |
| 5 | Red Phillips | E | Auburn | Los Angeles Rams |
| 6 | Walt Kowalczyk | FB | Michigan State | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 7 | Chuck Howley | LB | West Virginia | Chicago Bears |
| 8 | James Pace | HB | Michigan | San Francisco 49ers |
| 9 | Charlie Krueger | DT | Texas A&M | San Francisco 49ers |
| 10 | Alex Karras | DT | Iowa | Detroit Lions |
| 11 | Lenny Lyles | DB | Louisville | Baltimore Colts |
| 12 | Phil King | HB | Vanderbilt | New York Giants |
| 13 | Jim Shofner | DB | TCU | Cleveland Browns |
Rounds 2–10
The second round of the 1958 NFL Draft began with the Chicago Cardinals selecting offensive tackle Jim McCusker from the University of Pittsburgh at pick 14, followed closely by the Green Bay Packers choosing fullback Jim Taylor from LSU at pick 15.[4] Other notable selections in this round included defensive back Clendon Thomas from Oklahoma (Los Angeles Rams, pick 19) and end Willard Dewveall from SMU (Chicago Bears, pick 18), reflecting teams' emphasis on bolstering offensive and defensive lines early in the mid-rounds.[4] In the third round, the Packers continued their strong draft by selecting halfback Dick Christy from North Carolina State at pick 27 and linebacker Ray Nitschke from Illinois at pick 36, showcasing their focus on versatile backfield and defensive talent.[4] The Cleveland Browns added guard Charley Mitchell from Florida at pick 25, while the Washington Redskins doubled up with end Bill Anderson from Tennessee (pick 31) after earlier picks, highlighting occasional multiple selections per team due to trades.[4] Linemen like guard Buzz Guy from Duke (Browns, pick 34) underscored the round's trend toward interior line reinforcements. The fourth round featured the Packers' continued investment in their offensive line with guard Jerry Kramer from Idaho at pick 39, complementing their earlier selections and building depth for a run-heavy scheme.[4] Quarterbacks began appearing more prominently here, such as Dan Nolan from Lehigh (Redskins, pick 40) and Jim Ninowski from Michigan State (Browns, pick 49), though many teams opted to pass on signal-callers in favor of defensive backs like Erich Barnes from Purdue (Bears, pick 42).[4] This pattern of prioritizing linemen and secondary players persisted, with only sporadic trades noted, such as the Rams' acquisitions to address depth. Rounds 5 through 7 saw a surge in quarterback selections, including Joe Francis from Oregon State (Packers, pick 51), Jim Van Pelt from Michigan (Redskins, pick 54), and Frank Ryan from Rice (Rams, pick 55), indicating teams addressing backup needs without aggressive trades for top prospects.[4] The Browns highlighted the round with flanker Bobby Mitchell from Illinois at pick 84 in the seventh, a speedy backfield addition, while the Giants picked flanker Bobby Joe Conrad from Texas A&M (pick 58) to enhance their receiving corps.[4] Running backs and linemen remained dominant, with picks like fullback Merrill Douglas from Utah (Bears, pick 65) and guard Ken Gray from Howard Payne (Packers, pick 62). Later rounds from 8 to 10 continued the emphasis on developmental linemen and defensive specialists, such as defensive tackle Floyd Peters from San Francisco State (Colts, pick 93) and defensive back Bernie Parrish from Florida (Browns, pick 108).[4] The Packers rounded out their early haul with center Mike Bill from Syracuse (pick 86), while the Eagles selected fullback Theron Sapp from Georgia (pick 112) in the tenth.[4] Overall, these rounds comprised 108 selections across 12 teams, with running backs (including halfbacks and fullbacks) and linemen (tackles and guards) accounting for over half, as teams built foundational depth rather than chasing high-profile stars seen in the first round.[4]| Round | Notable Pick | Team | Player | Position | College | Overall Pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Key Backfield Addition | Green Bay Packers | Jim Taylor | FB | LSU | 15 |
| 3 | Defensive Anchor | Green Bay Packers | Ray Nitschke | LB | Illinois | 36 |
| 4 | Line Stalwart | Green Bay Packers | Jerry Kramer | G | Idaho | 39 |
| 7 | Speedy Receiver | Cleveland Browns | Bobby Mitchell | HB | Illinois | 84 |
Rounds 11–20
Rounds 11 through 20 of the 1958 NFL Draft encompassed 120 selections across the league's 12 teams, shifting focus toward building roster depth with versatile utility players, linemen for trench warfare, and potential special teams contributors rather than high-upside stars seen in earlier rounds.[4] These picks emphasized practical additions to support starters, including offensive and defensive linemen who could rotate in for durability and backs suited for rotational duties or kick coverage.[24] No significant trades disrupted the selection order during these rounds, allowing teams to methodically address needs without major interruptions.[4] A notable trend was the heavy investment in linemen, with approximately 38 selections at tackle (T), guard (G), and center (C) positions to fortify both offensive and defensive fronts amid the era's emphasis on physical, run-dominated play.[24] Backs (B, FB, HB) accounted for another 58 picks, often targeting speed and agility for depth behind established runners like Jim Brown or Alan Ameche.[4] Quarterbacks and ends (E) rounded out the selections, with fewer defensive backs (DB) or linebackers (LB) chosen, reflecting teams' priorities for immediate line support over secondary rebuilding. The Cleveland Browns, for instance, targeted speed and versatility by selecting ends like Russ Bowermaster from Ohio State in round 11 and backs such as Hal Williams from Miami (OH) in round 13 to complement their potent rushing attack.[25] Several overlooked selections emerged as solid contributors, providing long-term value from late-round investments. The Chicago Bears drafted flanker Johnny Morris from UC Santa Barbara in round 12 (pick 137), who developed into a reliable receiver over a 10-year career exclusively with the team, recording 356 receptions for 5,059 yards and 31 touchdowns while earning one Pro Bowl nod in 1964.[26] In round 14 (pick 166), the New York Giants selected fullback C.R. Roberts from USC, who joined the San Francisco 49ers after being drafted and rushed for 637 yards on 155 carries with 4 touchdowns over three NFL seasons (1961–1963), adding power to the backfield.[27] The Baltimore Colts picked guard/linebacker Tom Addison from South Carolina in round 12 (pick 141); although he signed with the AFL's Boston Patriots, Addison anchored the defense for eight seasons (1960–1967), appearing in 106 games and earning three AFL All-Star selections.[28] To illustrate the positional distribution and team strategies, the following table highlights representative selections by category:| Position Category | Example Picks | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive Linemen | Ron Claiborne (T, Kansas, Rams, round 12, pick 139); Ken Miller (T, TCU, Browns, round 14, pick 168) | Focused on pass protection and run blocking for depth; Rams and Browns prioritized Midwest and Southwest talent for immediate rotation.[4] |
| Backs/Running Backs | Leroy Reed (B, Mississippi, Steelers, round 12, pick 140); Howard Hoelscher (B, Rice, Browns, round 15, pick 180) | Aimed at speed for special teams and third-down roles; Steelers sought Southern speed to bolster their ground game.[24] |
| Defensive/Utility | Archie Matsos (G/LB, Michigan State, Colts, round 16, pick 189); Charlie Jackson (DB, SMU, Cardinals, round 13, pick 146) | Versatile players for multiple roles; Colts added Big Ten toughness for line depth and coverage.[4] |
| Quarterbacks/Ends | Bob Brodhead (QB, Duke, Browns, round 12, pick 144); Tony Kolodziej (E, Michigan State, Rams, round 13, pick 152) | Developmental prospects; Browns invested in ACC signal-caller for backup potential.[25] |