The 1952 NFL draft was held on January 17, 1952, at Hotel Statler in New York. Selections made by New York Yanks were assigned to the new Dallas Texans.
This was the sixth year that the first overall pick was a bonus pick determined by lottery, with the previous five winners (Chicago Bears in 1947, Washington Redskins in 1948, Philadelphia Eagles in 1949, Detroit Lions in 1950, and New York Giants in 1951) ineligible from the draw; it was won by the Los Angeles Rams, who selected quarterback Bill Wade.
The Washington Post sportswriter Mo Siegel later claimed that Washington Redskins owner George Preston Marshall let him choose a late-round pick. Siegel, he said, chose Tennessee Tech's Flavious Smith to force the first black player onto the all-white Redskins. If true, Marshall likely persuaded NFL Commissioner Bert Bell to remove the choice from the official records. (Smith, who did not hear the story until years later, was white.)
Player selections = Pro Bowler Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro-Bowl at any time in their career.= Hall of Famer
Round 1
Pick # NFL team Player Position College1Los Angeles Rams (Lottery bonus pick) Bill WadeQuarterbackVanderbilt2New York YanksLes RichterGuardCalifornia3Chicago CardinalsOllie MatsonHalfbackSan Francisco4Green Bay PackersBabe ParilliQuarterbackKentucky5Philadelphia EaglesJohnny BrightBackDrake6Pittsburgh SteelersEd ModzelewskiFullbackMaryland7Washington RedskinsLarry IsbellBackBaylor8Chicago BearsJim DooleyBackMiami (FL)9San Francisco 49ersHugh McElhennyHalfbackWashington10Cleveland Browns (From Detroit Lions)Bert RechicharBackTennessee11New York GiantsFrank GiffordHalfbackUSC12Cleveland BrownsHarry AgganisQuarterbackBoston University13Los Angeles RamsBob CareyEndMichigan State
Round 2
Pick # NFL team Player Position College14New York YanksGino MarchettiDefensive endSan Francisco15Green Bay PackersBilly HowtonEndRice16Chicago CardinalsJohnny KarrasBackIllinois17Philadelphia EaglesJim WeatherallTackleOklahoma18Pittsburgh SteelersGeorge TarasovicCenterLSU19Washington RedskinsAndy DavisBackGeorge Washington20Chicago BearsEddie MaconBackPacific21Chicago CardinalsPete BrewsterEndPurdue22San Francisco 49ersBob ToneffTackleNotre Dame23New York GiantsRay BeckGuardGeorgia Tech24Cleveland BrownsBill HughesCenterMichigan State25Los Angeles RamsBob GriffinTackleArkansas
Round 3
Pick # NFL team Player Position College26Cleveland BrownsDon KlostermanQuarterbackLoyola (CA)27San Francisco 49ersGene ShannonBackHouston28Green Bay PackersBobby DillonBackTexas29Philadelphia EaglesLum SnyderTackleGeorgia Tech30Pittsburgh SteelersSteve WadiakBackSouth Carolina31Washington RedskinsAl DorowQuarterbackMichigan State32Chicago BearsBill McCollEndStanford33San Francisco 49ersBilly TidwellBackTexas A&M34Detroit LionsYale LarySafetyTexas A&M35New York GiantsDon HeinrichQuarterbackWashington36Cleveland BrownsJoe CampanellaTackleOhio State37Los Angeles RamsDewey McConnellEndWyoming
Round 4
Pick # NFL team Player Position College38New York GiantsMerwin HodelBackColorado39Cleveland BrownsElmer CostaGuardNC State40Los Angeles RamsKen CasnerTackleBaylor41Philadelphia EaglesChuck UlrichTackleIllinois42Pittsburgh SteelersJack GeardingTackleXavier43Washington RedskinsDick HightowerCenterSMU44Chicago BearsHerman ClarkTackleOregon State45Detroit LionsPat SummerallKickerArkansas46San Francisco 49ersMarion CampbellTackleGeorgia47New York GiantsDon MenascoEndTexas48Cleveland BrownsRay RenfroBackNorth Texas State49Los Angeles RamsSkeets QuinlanBackSan Diego State
Round 5
Pick # NFL team Player Position College50New York YanksJack JorgensonTackleColorado51Chicago CardinalsDick FuglerTackleTulane52Green Bay PackersDave HannerTackleArkansas53New York YanksMel SinquefieldCenterOle Miss54Chicago BearsJack HoffmanEndXavier55Washington RedskinsJim ClarkGuardOregon State56Chicago BearsFred WilliamsTackleArkansas57San Francisco 49ersPat O'DonahueEndWisconsin58Detroit LionsBob MillerTackleVirginia59New York GiantsBob PattonTackleClemson60Cleveland BrownsKeever JankovichEndPacific61Los Angeles RamsGordon PolofskyBackTennessee
Round 6
Pick # NFL team Player Position College62New York YanksDave CianelliCenterMaryland63Green Bay PackersTom JohnsonTackleMichigan64Chicago CardinalsJohn HancockGuardBaylor65Philadelphia EaglesDick LemmonBackCalifornia66Los Angeles RamsDuane PutnamGuardPacific67Washington RedskinsEd KenslerGuardMaryland68Chicago BearsEd BrownBackSan Francisco69Detroit LionsGordon CooperEndDenver70San Francisco 49ersJim BeasleyCenterTulsa71New York GiantsJim MacKenzieTackleKentucky72Cleveland BrownsBurrell ShieldsBackJohn Carroll73Los Angeles RamsJerrell PriceTackleTexas Tech
Round 7
Pick # NFL team Player Position College74New York YanksJohn PetitbonBackNotre Dame75Chicago CardinalsHarry JabbuschCenterSouth Carolina76Green Bay PackersBill ReichardtBackIowa77Philadelphia EaglesJohn ThomasEndOregon State78Pittsburgh SteelersClaude HippsBackGeorgia79Washington RedskinsVic JanowiczVic Janowicz, 1950 Heisman Trophy winner as a Junior. The third time in the history of the Heisman award. HalfbackOhio State80Chicago BearsJoe FortunatoBackMississippi State81San Francisco 49ersDon RobisonBackCalifornia82Detroit LionsWes GardnerCenterUtah83New York GiantsVal Joe WalkerBackSMU84Cleveland BrownsJohn PaceTackleMississippi State85Los Angeles RamsBurt DelavanTacklePacific
Round 8
Pick # NFL team Player Position College86Cleveland BrownsStan WilliamsEndBaylor87Green Bay PackersMel BecketCenterIndiana88Chicago CardinalsDon ColemanTackleMichigan State89Philadelphia EaglesWayne RobinsonCenterMinnesota90Chicago BearsBill Bishop TackleNorth Texas State91Washington RedskinsHubert JohnstonTackleIowa92Chicago BearsBilly JurneyEndArkansas93Detroit LionsTom DublinskiBackUtah94San Francisco 49ersJerry SmithTackleWisconsin95New York GiantsBilly ShippTackleAlabama96Cleveland BrownsHerschel ForesterGuardSMU97Los Angeles RamsTom McCormickBackPacific
Round 9
Pick # NFL team Player Position College98New York YanksJim LansfordTackleTexas99Chicago CardinalsMalcolm CookBackGeorgia100Green Bay PackersDeral TeteakGuardWisconsin101Philadelphia EaglesMaury NippGuardLoyola (CA)102Pittsburgh SteelersHerky PayneBackTennessee103Washington RedskinsDick AlbanSafetyNorthwestern104Chicago BearsBobby CrossTackleStephen F. Austin105San Francisco 49ersGlen ChristianBackIdaho106Detroit LionsSonny GandeeEndOhio State107New York GiantsJohn KastanBackBoston University108Cleveland BrownsBob FinnellBackXavier109Los Angeles RamsByron TownsendBackTexas
Round 10
Pick # NFL team Player Position College110New York YanksJim HammondBackWisconsin111Green Bay PackersArt KleinschmidtGuardTulane112Chicago CardinalsJohn FeltchTackleHoly Cross113Philadelphia EaglesGerry McGinleyGuardPenn114Pittsburgh SteelersGeorge GilmartinBackXavier115Washington RedskinsChet OstrowskiEndNotre Dame116Green Bay PackersWilliam RofflerBackWashington State117Detroit LionsSteve DowdenTackleBaylor118San Francisco 49ersCarl WestBackOle Miss119New York GiantsPat KnightEndSMU120Cleveland BrownsPat RibieroTacklePacific121Los Angeles RamsLuke WelchTackleBaylor
Round 11
Pick # NFL team Player Position College122New York YanksPat CannamelaGuardUSC123Chicago CardinalsLeo SugarEndPurdue124Green Bay PackersBilly BurkhalterBackRice125Philadelphia EaglesRalph GoldstonBackYoungstown126Pittsburgh SteelersJack SpinksBackAlcorn A&M127Washington RedskinsOrlando MazzaEndMichigan State128Chicago BearsBill MillerBackWake Forest129San Francisco 49ersJ. D. KimmelTackleHouston130Detroit LionsKeith FlowersCenterTCU131New York GiantsCharlie HarrisCenterCalifornia132Cleveland BrownsDick LoganTackleOhio State133Los Angeles RamsSam BakerBackOregon State
Round 12
Pick # NFL team Player Position College134New York YanksJim MutschellerEndNotre Dame135Green Bay PackersBill WilsonTackleTexas136Chicago CardinalsJoe MasnaghettiTackleMarquette137Philadelphia EaglesJack BlountTackleMississippi State138Pittsburgh SteelersMarv McFaddenTackleMichigan State139Washington RedskinsFrank MiddendorfCenterCincinnati140Chicago BearsAndy KozarBackTennessee141Detroit LionsJim RoshtoBackLSU142San Francisco 49ersFred SnyderEndLoyola (CA)143New York GiantsDick OchoaBackTexas144Cleveland BrownsRoy ThompsonBackFlorida State145Los Angeles RamsJake RobertsBackTulsa
Round 13
Pick # NFL team Player Position College146New York YanksBill WardGuardArkansas147Chicago CardinalsMel MassuccoBackHoly Cross148Green Bay PackersBilly HairBackClemson149Philadelphia EaglesEd HamiltonBackKentucky150Pittsburgh SteelersDave FloodBackNotre Dame151Washington RedskinsRay PotterTackleLSU152Chicago BearsRich AthanBackNorthwestern153San Francisco 49ersRudy YeagerTackleLSU154Detroit LionsCarroll McDonaldCenterFlorida155New York GiantsPat BradyBackNevada156Cleveland BrownsTom CosgroveCenterMaryland157Los Angeles RamsRed PhillipsCenterTexas Tech
Round 14
Pick # NFL team Player Position College158New York YanksPaul WilliamsEndTexas159Green Bay PackersJack MorganTackleMichigan State160Chicago CardinalsTom TofauteCenterNC State161Philadelphia EaglesBob StringerBackTulsa162Pittsburgh SteelersJune DavisGuardTexas163Washington RedskinsDoug ConwayTackleTCU164Chicago BearsGale GallowayCenterBaylor165Detroit LionsRay OliversonBackBYU166San Francisco 49ersFrank SimonsEndNebraska167New York GiantsHal MitchellTackleUCLA168Cleveland BrownsSteve RuzichGuardOhio State169Los Angeles RamsJoe MossTackleMaryland
Round 15
Pick # NFL team Player Position College170New York YanksJack BigheadEndPepperdine171Chicago CardinalsJohn DavisBackIndiana172Green Bay PackersBobby Jack FloydBackTCU173Philadelphia EaglesMalcolm SchmidtEndIowa State174Pittsburgh SteelersDick PivirottoBackPrinceton175Washington RedskinsJulius WittmanTackleOhio State176Chicago BearsDick KazmaierDick Kazmaier, 1951 Heisman Trophy winner HalfbackPrinceton177San Francisco 49ersHaldo NormanEndGustavus Adolphus178Detroit LionsJohn BurgamyGuardGeorgia179New York GiantsPaul BischoffEndWest Virginia180Cleveland BrownsHolly AlpinEndTampa181Los Angeles RamsBill HegartyTackleVillanova
Round 16
Pick # NFL team Player Position College182New York YanksVince KasetaEndTennessee183Green Bay PackersJohnny CoattaBackWisconsin184Chicago CardinalsMike MergenGuardSan Francisco185Philadelphia EaglesJim BrewerGuardNorth Texas State186Pittsburgh SteelersPete LadygoGuardMaryland187Washington RedskinsMarv BerschetTackleIllinois188Chicago BearsBob SpearsBackYale189Cleveland BrownsHerb NeatheryBackIllinois190San Francisco 49ersBob MeyersBackStanford191New York GiantsPaul BurnsGuardNotre Dame192Cleveland BrownsEd RowlandsTackleOklahoma193Los Angeles RamsBob HooksEndUSC
Round 17
Pick # NFL team Player Position College194New York YanksDick HornBackStanford195Chicago CardinalsDarrell CrawfordBackGeorgia Tech196Green Bay PackersDon PetersonBackMichigan197Philadelphia EaglesJohn WeigleEndOklahoma A&M198Pittsburgh SteelersPat SmithwickEndSt. Norbert199Washington RedskinsGil BocettiBackWashington & Lee200Chicago BearsJohn CarrollTackleHouston201San Francisco 49ersAl BaldockEndUSC202Detroit LionsHank LauricellaBackTennessee203New York GiantsBob KarpeTackleCalifornia204Cleveland BrownsStew SheetsTacklePenn State205Los Angeles RamsJohn GriggsCenterKentucky
Round 18
Pick # NFL team Player Position College206New York YanksLes MolnarTackleBuffalo207Green Bay PackersHoward TisdaleTackleStephen F. Austin208Chicago CardinalsBill PyronTackleMississippi State209Philadelphia EaglesEd RomanowskiBackScranton210Pittsburgh SteelersAndy MacDonaldBackCentral Michigan211Washington RedskinsEd BartlettEndCalifornia212Chicago BearsTommy O'ConnellBackIllinois213Detroit LionsStan CampbellGuardIowa State214San Francisco 49ersBill CareyEndMichigan State215New York GiantsGene LittleGuardRice216Cleveland BrownsKen MirichGuardSanta Clara217Los Angeles RamsBob DeesTackleSouthwest Missouri State
Round 19