1953 AFL Draft

 


Round 1

1 - Cleveland - QB Denzel Collingsworth - Alabama A&M - Kingsfan11

2 - Detroit - QB Terry Kadlec - Los Angeles State - DireBear

3 - Washington - WR Darius Sanderson - Michigan - Wallflower

4 - Detroit (From TRI) - DL Bronco Jackson - Texas - Darknes

5 - Pittsburgh - OL Xavier Struckenburg - Fox River College* - Dan O’Mac

6 - Cincinnati - DB Kerry Lantz - Michigan - Wallflower

7 - Buffalo - LB Chris Cassidy - Chicago Christian - Wallflower

8 - Chicago - LB Killian Graves - Massachusetts State -  Darknes


To the shock of pretty much no one, the Cleveland Crows selected QB Denzel Collingsworth #1 overall to begin their time rebuilding into a competitor. Collingsworth is a rare type of quarterback that has a great mix of throw power and pocket maneuverability. He had a turnover issue while in college, but the Crows hope to teach it out of him before he eventually starts for the team. Detroit had a number of options when they got to 2nd overall. They could have traded it down, or found another weapon to pair with their RB and WR’s. Instead of doing any of those options, they selected QB Terry Kadlec as their potential replacement for QB Roy Woodward. Woodward has struggled for whatever reason with the Knights in the AFL after putting up 3 incredible years in the MWFC, and the drafting of Kadlec signals to Woodward that his time as starter may be nearing to a close. Kadlec didn’t torch defenses while in college, but knew how to run a game efficiently and was highly successful as a result. The Knights may have missed on drafting one of their own second overall, as Washington drafted WR Darius Sanderson from Michigan to vastly improve their receiving core. Sanderson towered over nearly every defender in college, and will be a top 2 option for QB Johnnie Sellers. Detroit used their second pick of the first round on DL Bronco Jackson to bring some youth to their aging defensive core. Jackson was a major threat while at Texas, with a mixture of strength and speed helping him either power through or run around linemen with relative ease. With Pittsburgh on the clock next, they looked to improve their already great offensive line with the addition of OL Xavier Struckenburg. Struckenburg was an outstanding player last year, and surprised many when word got around that he was playing outstandingly at this tiny college in Wisconsin. Cincinnati improved their weak secondary by taking DB Kerry Lantz at the 6th pick. A two-sport athlete at Michigan, Lantz used his height and his vertical ability to outplay most receivers in college. With the 7th pick, the Buffalo Hammers selected LB Chris Cassidy from Chicago Christian. Cassidy was known as a highly physical player while in college, and could run over and knock down almost anyone coming his way. The Hammers hope that he could pair well with 4th round selection LB Stefan Stauer, as their linebacking core is sorely missing a star player. Chicago made their own linebacker selection to end the first round, taking LB Killian Graves from Massachusetts State. The Hogs had lost nearly their entire linebacking core to retirements, and Graves seemed like the best option available at the position. Graves may not be the strongest or the fastest, but makes up for it with his smarts on the field, always 5 steps ahead of his opponent.


Round 2

9 - Cleveland - DL Fergus Prendergast - Northern Oregon - Darknes

10 - Detroit - S Charlie Fischer - Brooklyn College - DireBear

11 - Washington - DL Daley Norris - Rogers Clark - Wallflower

12 - Tri-Cities - DL Clifford Dale - Louisville State - Wallflower

13 - Pittsburgh - RB Paul Barker - St. Joseph’s - DireBear

14 - Cincinnati - OL Isaiah Winthrop - Chicago Christian - Wallflower

15 - Buffalo - OL Pip Benirschke - Northern Michigan - Wallflower

16 - Chicago - WR Ciarán Murphy - Massachusetts State -  Darknes


Cleveland began the round by drafting DL Fergus Prendergast to help reshape their mediocre front 7. Surprisingly, two of the top players kept dropping after teams drafted for need instead of the best player available. Detroit was able to snag the number 1 rated prospect of the draft in S Charlie Fischer, and he’ll fit snugly into a starting role at that position. Pittsburgh made the other steal this round, drafting Bernheim Trophy winner RB Paul Barker all the way down at 13. Current starter RB Marion Waters just turned 30 this offseason, and the Shamrocks want to find a replacement for their star RB before he retires. Tri-Cities once again had to wait until the second round to make their first selection of the draft, selecting speedy DL Clifford Dale to potentially pair in tandem with all-star DL Ralph Rogers. 


Round 3

17 - Cleveland - DB Tom Wolf - Arkansas - DireBear

18 - Detroit - WR Pat Kimball - Indianapolis State - Wallflower

19 - Cleveland (From WAS) - OL Andrei Simaetska - Pittsburgh State - Darknes

20 - Tri-Cities - OL Donnel Ferguson - Chicago Christian - Darknes

21 - Cincinnati (From PIT)- WR Anthony Wheatland - Nebraska State - DireBear

22 - Cleveland (From CIN via PIT) - RB Washington Norris - Massachusetts State - DireBear

23 - Buffalo - DB Rogelio Amos - New Jersey - idm

24 - Chicago - LB Faolán Doyle - Pittsburgh State -  Darknes


The Crows had 3 selections this round, acquired from trades with the Federals at 19 and with the Shamrocks at pick 22. Each was used to fill a position of need, taking DB Tom Wolf at pick 17, OL Andrei Simaetska at 19, and RB Washington Norris at 22. Detroit took a WR in Pat “Pinball” Kimball at 18 to pair up with their already young core. Kimball got his nickname for bouncing off defenders after the catch while at Indianapolis State, and pairing him up with WR’s Lloyd Lawson and Paul Kent could be enough to finally get them over their massive slump. Cincinnati made the only other offensive selection by taking WR Anthony Wheatland to help give options to QB Lester Parker that aren’t named Alfred Dunn. 


 


Round 4

25 - Cincinnati (From CLE) - DB Adrian Barboza - U. Lake Erie* - idm

26 - Detroit - LB Jimmy Walthers - Indiana - idm

27 - Washington - DB Earl Moss - U. Dover - DireBear

28 - Detroit (From TRI) - RB Brady Walters - Michigan - Wallflower

29 - Pittsburgh - DL Frank Bean - Chicago Christian - Dan O’Mac

30 - Cincinnati - OL Milton McCovery - Upper Peninsula - Dan O’Mac

31 - Buffalo - DL Harry Sidebottom - Virginia State - Dan O’Mac

32 - Chicago - QB Jehoshaphat Murphy - Chicago Christian -  Stickman


Many teams were beginning to find backups beginning this round, but Cincinnati was still looking for potential starters. Their first pick of the round, which they had previously acquired from Cleveland, was RB Adrian Barboza, a little known player from the University of Lake Erie. He was seen as a project player, but the rest of their secondary was fairly weak, so if he plays well during practice he can slot in as a week 1 starter. Another developmental piece for the Rivermen was pick #30, OL Milton McCovery. He has the prototypical size and strength for a lineman, but lacked a lot of the technique due to him overly relying on his size. Cincinnati has two great veteran linemen to teach him the technique, in hopes he’ll be ready for week 1. Chicago hit on a potential QB replacement for QB Alfred Walton with local QB Jehoshaphat Murphy, perhaps the most interestingly named player in the draft. 


Round 5

33 - Cleveland - WR Marcus Ayers - Wisconsin State - idm

34 - Detroit - OL Harvey Arnold-Mitchell - Toledo State*- Dan O’Mac

35 - Washington - S Josh von Bank - Pittsburgh State - idm

36 - Tri-Cities - WR Ollie Oxford - St. Louis State - Stickman

37 - Cincinnati (From PIT) - OL Thomas Evans - Boston Christian - Kingsfan11

38 - Pittsburgh (From CIN) - QB Eric Trueblood - Toledo State* - Kingsfan11

39 - Buffalo - DL Leo Ziegler - Lehigh Valley - DireBear

40 - Chicago - DB Karl Biega - Indiana - Wallflower


The only potential starter in the final round of the draft is S Josh von Bank at pick 35 by Washington. Their starter situation at that position was up in the air after this year, and the Federals took a chance in the 5th and may have found their long-term starter. The final QB of the draft was selected by Pittsburgh in Eric Trueblood at 38. The Shamrocks’ QB situation will get interesting after this year, so drafting a backup to help out whoever comes out as the starter is not a bad idea for them. Chicago closed out the draft for the second year in a row, adding to their secondary by drafting DB Karl Biega from Indiana. 


Undrafted

RB Billy Gould - Northern Illinois State* - idm -> Chicago

RB Darryl Kelly - Rogers Clark - Jayhawk -> Tri-Cities

RB Kevin Knox - Chicago Christian - idm -> Cleveland

K Clint Hawk - Michigan - Kingsfan11 -> Cincinnati

OL Levi Cooper - Miami Valley* - idm -> Chicago

LB Chase Henderson - Louisville State - Jayhawk -> Buffalo

QB Cornelius Cobb - Worcester State - TheEnigmaticOne -> Washington

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