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Sundays with Sacco: The 1953 Draft and our oldest Bronco

There was no NFL Scouting Combine in 1953. In 1953, World War II had barely been over for eight years. There were just two NFL teams west of the Mississippi River—the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers—and integration had been a part of the pro football landscape for just seven seasons.

The Broncos would not be born for six years, and they would not have their first players and play their first game for another year after that.

No, there was no combine.

There was word of mouth and the occasional long distance telephone call or telegram, with the latter being very rare.