NFL Draft local history

The NFL Draft is coming to Philadelphia from April 27 - April 29.

This is not the first time the draft has come to our city. The first draft was held on February 8, 1936 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel.

Prior to the first draft, players could sign to whichever team they wanted to. There were just nine teams involved: the Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Boston Redskins, Brooklyn Dodgers, Chicago Bears, New York Giants, and the Pittsburg Pirates.

The first pick in the 1936 draft was Jay Berwanger. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite being the first pick, he never played professional football. Berwanger and team management failed to come to an agreement. He went on to become a foam-rubber salesman.

In the 1940s, the All-American Football Conference became more popular, and the competition became more intense. The All-America Football Conference and the National Football League began having a combined draft in 1967. In 1970, the two leagues combined.

81 years later, it is back in Philadelphia. For more NFL Draft stories, click here: http://6abc.com/nfldraft/.