The NFL Draft was created in 1936 by Eagles’ owner Bert Bell, whose team was hemorrhaging money and piling up losses. Before the draft, it was a free-for-all to sign the best players coming out of college. Rookie demands were soaring, and the strong franchises only got stronger.
NFL president Joe Carr told the Associated Press that because of the inverse standings format of the draft, “every city in the league will thus be sure of seeing some of the college stars of the preceding season, and will prevent ‘promiscuous scrambling’ for one or two players.” Love that: “promiscuous scrambling.”
The first draft was held at the Ritz Carlton, which was then owned by Bell and located at Broad & Walnut. It’s the building on the southeast corner which used to house a Wawa. The Eagles had the first-ever draft pick and selected University of Chicago star and Heisman Trophy winner Jay Berwanger. Bell knew he had no chance of affording Berwanger, who wanted $1,000 per game, so the Eagles immediately traded him to the Bears. Chicago also was unable to come to terms and Berwanger never played in the NFL.
One other piece of business came out of those meetings in February, 1936. The league accepted an application for a franchise in Los Angeles. Though it took 10 years for L.A. to get a team, the groundwork for transcontinental expansion was laid that weekend in Philadelphia.
This & That
*NFL Network, ABC, ESPN and ESPN Deportes each will televise the draft, which Bert Bell and his boys could never have imagined. On Thursday, coverage begins at 8 p.m. On Friday, it starts at 7 p.m. On Saturday, picks begin at Noon.
*The Eagles have eight picks, but expect plenty of movement from Howie Roseman who makes so many deals at the draft that Live! casino should hire him for an overnight blackjack shift. As of Noon Tuesday, the Eagles had the 22nd overall pick in Thursday’s first round and a pair of picks in Friday’s second round (Nos. 50 & 53). Their other five picks were fourth round or lower (Nos. 120, 161, 171, 172 and 210).
*The No. 22 pick has yielded some quality wide receivers, including Andre Rison (1989) and Demaryius Thomas (2010). Excruciatingly, Minnesota also grabbed Justin Jefferson at No. 22 in 2020 – one pick after the Eagles took Jalen Reagor (ugh).
Our favorite No. 22
Other notable No. 22s include Andre Dillard (another ugh, 2019), Johnny Manziel (2014), Refrigerator Perry (1985) and Ernie Stautner (1950). But nobody was cooler than Frank Reagan, who was drafted by the Giants with the 22nd pick in 1941.
Reagan was a star halfback at Penn and considered one of the best at his position along with Michigan’s Tom Harmon, the 1940 Heisman winner and the 1939 runner-up. Reagan, who also was captain of Penn’s baseball team, was a captain in the Marines in World War II. Traded four years of his NFL career to his military service.
In May of 1945, the Inquirer mentioned a feature done on Reagan in the publication The Leatherneck. In it, is a picture of Reagan flanked by a dozen men under his command.
“The Marines shown here,” the photos caption read, “have fought in all the sea and air actions off the Ryuku Islands, Formosa, the Marianas, the Bonins and the Philippines. Perhaps they’ll be among the first on the decks of American warships to see the main island of [Japan] rise out of the sea. And some day, Frank Reagan’s squad may have a workout against a Navy football team in Tokyo Stadium.”
Not bad for a kid from North Catholic
Reagan was a terrific punter, who played defensive back when he joined the Eagles in 1949. He tied for fifth in the league with seven interceptions that year to help the Birds win their second consecutive NFL Championship.
Reagan died in 1972. Had quite a life in his 53 short years here.
Quick buzz around the gambling world
Sportsbooks generally don’t like to take action on drafts – either NFL or NBA. There are too many variables, too much loose information, too much beyond their control. Sort of like the referees for the Sixers-Knicks series. Sad trombone.
Many sports-betting regulators don’t care much for the draft, either. Wagering on it is legal in New Jersey, but not in Pennsylvania. With that said, here are a couple things, as of Tuesday afternoon, that BetMGM nationwide had liabilities on:
*Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. to be drafted under pick 32.5. Basically, if he’s a first-rounder – taken within the first 32 picks – they lose.
*Same with Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze (under 8.5 is bad for them) and UCLA defensive end Laiatu Latu (under 16.5 is bad for them).
*Among the players BetMGM’s customers are guessing will fall are Oregon QB Bo Nix (being picked after 32.5 is bad for the sportsbook), LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr. (over 19.5 is bad for the ‘book) and Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner (over 9.5 is bad).
Eagles’ draft odds
Neat prop here by BetMGM in New Jersey. Position of the first player drafted by the Eagles. They have cornerback at even money (+100), followed closely by offensive lineman (+200), defensive lineman/edge (+225). Then there’s a huge dropoff.
Wide receiver is +3000; safety, linebacker and tight end are +5000; running back and quarterback are +25,000.
And finally
Eleven of the 24 players selected first-team All-Pro last year for either offense or defense were drafted AFTER the first round, including Eagles center Jason Kelce, a former 6th-round pick.
Here’s a look at where everyone who was tops in their positions last year was picked coming out of college.
First Round – Myles Garrett, Edge (No. 1 overall); Sauce Gardner, CB (4); Trent Williams, LT (4); Penei Sewell, RT (7); Christian McCaffrey, RB (8); Roquan Smith, LB (8); Aaron Donald, Int. DL (13); Kyle Hamilton, S (14); Zack Martin, RG (16), CeeDee Lamb, WR (17); Trent McDuffie, Slot CB (21); T.J. Watt, Edge (30); Lamar Jackson, QB (32).
Second Round – Chris Jones, Int. DL (37); Antoine Winfield Jr., S (45).
Third Round – Fred Warner, LB (70); Joe Thuney, LG (78); Quincy Williams, LB (98).
Fourth Round – Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR (112); Kyle Juszczyk, FB (130).
Fifth Round – George Kittle, TE (146); Tyreek Hill, WR (165); DaRon Bland, CB (167).
Sixth Round – Jason Kelce (191).
Ed Barkowitz is a semi-retired sports writer formerly with the Philadelphia Daily News/Inquirer. His email is EdBarkowitz2.0@gmail.com
