Selected in the 2^nd Round out of the University of Arkansas in 1938, Jim Benton would go onto 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, and due to 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 as the Rams were unable to field a team due to a depletion of talent but returned in 1944 and 1945 and 1946 but together two excellent seasons where he was the NFL leader in Receiving Yards.

One of the early stars of the Cleveland Rams was Jim Benton, the star End from the University of Arkansas who as a rookie would lead all players in Yards per Reception, though this was 1938 and he only had 418 Yards.  Still, that was the game back then, and he would be a Pro Bowler in 1940 where he had 7 Touchdown Passes, again league leading.  After a good 1940, he took a year off to coach (remember there wasn't a lot of money back then), but he returned in 1942 but due to the depletion of players due to World War II the Rams suspended operations, and he would join Chicago where he helped them win the NFL Championship.

Dubbed "Crazy Legs" for the unique way he ran, Elroy Hirsch is one of the most well-known players of his era.  An exceptional athlete at the University of Michigan, Hirsch served as a Marine (like many did back then) and upon his return from duty, he led a College All-Star team to a 16-0 win over the Los Angeles Rams, who were the defending NFL champions and many reporters stated Hirsch was the star of that game.