The 1944 NFL draft was held on April 19, 1944, at the Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia.
By agreement of league owners, the new Yanks franchise received the first pick of the first round and then dropped to 11th in the order of draft selection, making their next choice at 27.
Boston's top draft pick, Heisman Trophy-winning Notre Dame quarterback Angelo Bertelli, had enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1943 and never played in the NFL, instead making his professional debut with the Los Angeles Dons of the rival All-America Football Conference (AAFC) in 1946.
[4] Due to the demands of World War II, none of these players actually played for the Yanks during the 1944 season.
According to the league's preseason guidebook,[5] the 1944 roster for the Boston Yanks consisted of the following: Quarterbacks Halfbacks Fullbacks