Selected in the 2^nd Round out of the University of Arkansas in 1938, Jim Benton would go on to be one of the first great receivers in the history of the Rams franchise.  Benton led the NFL in Yards per Reception as a rookie and was named to the Pro Bowl in his second season.  He took 1941 off and returned to the NFL in 1942; because of a heart murmur, he was not permitted to enlist in the U.S. Military for World War II.  He was loaned to the Chicago Bears in 1943 because the Rams couldn't field a team due to a depletion of talent, but he returned in 1944, 1945, and 1946, and together they had two excellent seasons in which he led the NFL in Receiving Yards.

1945 was a uniquely special season for Benton.  Not only would it be a large part of the Rams’ 1945 NFL Championship, but his league-leading 1,067 receiving yards were also accomplished in only nine games.  He also would become the first Wide Receiver to exceed 300 Yards in a Game, a mark that was duplicated for another 40 Years!

At the time of his retirement, he was second all-time in Receiving Yards, and he was chosen for the 1940’s All-Decade Team.

A late round draft pick by the Washington Redskins from Loyola Marymount in 1951, Gene Brito would play on both sides of the ball in his first two seasons.   The End was certainly solid in his role, but by 1953, Brito focused on left defensive end and earned his first Pro Bowl selection. 

Brito would have another four-year streak of Pro Bowls (1955-58) and likely would have netted another one in 1954 had he been in the league (he opted to play in the Canadian Football League with the Calgary Stampeders instead), and in 1955 the Washington D.C. Touchdown Club named him the NFL Player of the Year.   Brito was so beloved in Washington that he was one of the first players to host a local television show while still playing.

The defensive star would play his final two years with the Los Angeles Rams.

Ox Emerson was a member of the NFL All-Decade 1930's Team. He started his professional football career in 1931 with the Portsmouth Spartans. In his second season, he was selected to his first of five straight First Team All-Pros. Despite being ironically nicknamed due to his height of under six feet and weight of less than 200 pounds, Emerson used his skill and smaller size to his advantage, evading tacklers with his footwork and positioning.

After the Spartans relocated to Detroit, the team was renamed the Lions. Emerson played a crucial role in their 1935 championship win. Throughout his career, his work in the trenches was vital to the team's rushing success, making him one of the best linemen Detroit ever had. Emerson has been a Centennial Slate Hall of Fame Finalist, indicating he may gain entry through a seniors committee in the future, though given the Hall’s recency bias, we would not bet on it.

The 1944 2nd Overall Draft Pick from the University of Wisconsin, Pat Harder, lived up to the hype. He helped the Chicago Cardinals win the 1947 NFL Championship and earned First Team All-Pro honors for three consecutive years.

Playing at fullback and also serving as the Cardinals’ placekicker, Harder became the first player in NFL history to exceed 100 points in three straight years (1947-49). Blessed with power and speed, Harder had soft receiving hands and accumulated 3,880 yards from scrimmage over eight seasons, a decent number for his time. UPI named Harder MVP in 1948, and his overall accomplishments earned him a spot on the 1940s All-Decade Team.

Harder's success continued into the 1950s, as he went to the Pro Bowl in 1950. He then joined the Detroit Lions for his final three years, where he helped them win the NFL Championship in both 1952 and 1953 and was a Pro Bowler in the first of those two years.