1940 NFL draft
| 1940 NFL draft | |
|---|---|
 Hilton Milwaukee (the former Schroeder Hotel, location of the draft) photographed in 2021 | |
| General information | |
| Date(s) | December 9, 1939 |
| Location | Schroeder Hotel in Milwaukee, WI |
| Overview | |
| 200 total selections in 22 rounds | |
| League | NFL |
| First selection | George Cafego, TB Chicago Cardinals |
| Most selections (20) | each team made 20 picks |
| Fewest selections (20) | each team made 20 picks |
| Hall of Famers | 2 |
The 1940 NFL draft was held on December 9, 1939, at the Schroeder Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[1][2] With the first overall pick of the draft, the Chicago Cardinals selected George Cafego.
Location
[edit]The draft was held in the Empire Room of the Schroeder Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In the early history of the NFL, drafts were typically held on the eve of the NFL Championship Game.[3][4] The 1939 NFL Championship Game (held the day after the draft) was hosted by the Green Bay Packers, but took place in Milwaukee (at the "Dairy Bowl" stadium in the infield of the Milwaukee Mile racetrack) instead of the Green Bay, Wisconsin due to team owner Curly Lambeau's belief that a game in Milwaukee (a larger city more accessible by rail) would generate greater attendance than one in Green Bay.[4][5][6][7] Lambeau's decision paid off, with a sold-out game the day following the draft.[4]
Both the hotel (today known as the "Hilton Milwaukee") and the ballroom in which the draft was held remain today, with the ballroom maintaining a similar appearance to how it looked at the time of the draft.[3]
Player selections
[edit]| = Hall of Famer |
Hall of Famers
[edit]- George McAfee, quarterback from Duke taken 1st round 2nd overall by the Philadelphia Eagles.
- Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1966.[8]
- Bulldog Turner, center from Hardin–Simmons taken 1st round 7th overall by the Chicago Bears.
- Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1966.[8]
Notable undrafted players
[edit]| † | = Pro Bowler[9] |
| Original NFL team | Player | Pos. | College | Conf. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Rams | Fred Gehrke | HB/CB | Utah | MSC | |
| Green Bay Packers | Ray Riddick | E | Fordham | Ind. | |
| New York Giants | Jack Hinkle | HB | Syracuse | Ind. | |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Tommy Thompson † | QB | Tulsa | MVC | |
| Washington Redskins | Ray Hare † | HB | Gonzaga | Ind. |
References
[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.
- ^ "NFL Draft Locations". www.footballgeography.com. October 2, 2014. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
- ^ a b Littau, Timothy (April 8, 2025). "'Still the Same As It Was': Inside the Milwaukee ballroom that hosted the 1940 NFL Draft". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Last NFL Draft in Wisconsin Was Missed Opportunity For City". Kewaunee County Star News. January 10, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ^ McGlynn, Stoney (December 11, 1939). "Bays crush Giants in title game". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 15.
- ^ Kuechle, Oliver E. (December 11, 1939). "Packers' power and deceptive passing game defeat Giants, 27-0". Milwaukee Journal. p. 6, part 2.
- ^ Snider, Steve (December 11, 1939). "Pro grid reaches new heights in playoff". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. p. 26.
- ^ a b List of Hall of Fame Inductees at profootballhof.com "Pro Football Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on July 31, 2008. Retrieved October 5, 2008.
- ^ Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro-Bowl at any time in their career.