Otto Graham's 1956 All-Pro Selections

LOOKING BACK
By John Turney

 

When we find them, we like to share the views of players and coaches on All-Pro teams and other awards and honors. We ran across an article with Otto Graham's selections for a 1956 All-Pro Team. Graham's last season was 1955 so he had intimate knowledge of the game and one magazine asked for his personal All-Pro selections.

We posted the selections of the Associated Press, United Press, and Newspaper Enterprise Association for comparisons.

Graham's Picks

Position Player, Team 
OFFENSE
Ends
HARLON HILL, ChiB
BILLY HOWTON, GB

Tackles
ROSEY BROWN, NYG
BOB ST. CLAIR, SF

Guards
STAN JONES, ChiB
DUANE PUTNAM, LA

Center
CHARLIE ANE, Det

QB
BOBBY LAYNE, Det

HB
OLLIE MATSON, ChiC
FRANK GIFFORD, NYG

FB
RICK CASARES, ChiB

DEFENSE
DE
GENE BRITO, Was
GINO MARCHETTI, Bal

DT
ART DONOVAN, Bal
ERNIE STAUTNER, Pit

MG/LB
JOE SCHMIDT, Det
CHUCK BEDNARIK, Phi
BILL SVOBODA, NYG

DB
JACK CHRISTIANSEN, Det
BOBBY DILLON, GB
DICKY MOEGLE, SF
LINDON CROW, ChiC

Graham prefered Bob St. Clair over Lou Creekmur at tackle and  Duane Putnam at guard rather than Dick Stanfel. On defense, he went with Gino Marchetti over Andy Robustelli. There was essentially a tie at defensive tackle in the consensus tally, so really Rosey Grier didn't get "snubbed". Graham's picks were consensus choices. He also chose Bill Svoboda over Bill George.

The interesting part is Dicky Moegle and Lindon Crow over Night Train Lane, who was a candidate for a Defensive Player of the Year had there been such an award, and Emlen Tunnell.

The Consensus Selections for 1956

Position Player, Team (AP UP NEA)
OFFENSE
E
HARLON HILL, ChiB  (AP UP NEA)
BILLY HOWTON, GB   (AP UP NEA)

OT
ROSEY BROWN, NYG  (AP UP NEA)
LOU CREEKMUR, Det  (AP UP)

OG
DICK STANFEL, Was  (AP UP NEA)
STAN JONES, ChiB  (AP UP)

OC
CHARLIE ANE, Det (UP, NEA)

QB
BOBBY LAYNE, Det  (AP UP NEA)

HB
OLLIE MATSON, ChiC  (AP UP NEA)
FRANK GIFFORD, NYG   (AP UP NEA)

FB
RICK CASARES, ChiB   (AP UP NEA)

DEFENSE
DE
GENE BRITO, Was (AP UP NEA)

ANDY ROBUSTELLI, NYG (AP UP)

DT

ROSEY GRIER, NYG (AP UP)

ART DONOVAN, Bal (AP NEA)

ERNIE STAUTNER, Pit (UP NEA)

MG/LB

BILL GEORGE, ChiB (AP UP NEA)

JOE SCHMIDT, Det (AP UP NEA)

CHUCK BEDNARIK, Phi (UP NEA)

DB

DICK LANE, ChiC   (AP UP NEA)

EMLEN TUNNELL, NYG  (AP UP NEA)

BOBBY DILLON, GB  (UP NEA)

JACK CHRISTIANSEN, Det  (AP UP NEA)