Bill Kay was drafted No. 159 overall by the Houston Oilers in the 1981 NFL Draft out of Purdue. 56 regular-season games · 7 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #159
- Round
- 6
- Draft class
- 1981
- NFL games
- 56
- Career AV
- 757th at Purdue
The pick
How Bill Kay came off the board in 1981.
- Position
- Defensive back DB
- College
-
Purdue
Big Ten at the draft
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
56 regular-season games · 7 career approximate value
- Games played
- 56
- Career approximate value
- 757th among Purdue picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 686% of career value
- Final season
- 19843 years after the draft
Around pick 159
Who came off the board on either side of Bill Kay.
North Carolina
Alabama State
Florida State
Baylor
Purdue in the 1981 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other DB picks from Purdue
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Purdue · Hall of Fame · 6× All-Pro · 11× Pro Bowl
#125
Cris Dishman
DB · TEN · 1988
Purdue · 1× All-Pro · 2× Pro Bowl
#54
Bernard Pollard
DB · KC · 2006
Purdue · 1× Pro Bowl
#278
Wayne Smith
DB · DET · 1980
Purdue
#147
Ricardo Allen
DB · ATL · 2014
Purdue
#71
Steve Jackson
DB · TEN · 1991
Purdue
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Bill Kay in the 1981 NFL Draft
Bill Kay is a Defensive back out of Purdue selected No. 159 overall by the Houston Oilers in the 1981 NFL Draft. 56 regular-season games · 7 career approximate value Purdue has produced 100 NFL draft picks since 1980.
Where this data comes from
Pick order and career outcomes come from the nflverse draft archive; position, measurables, and conference at the time of the draft come from the college feed. Career columns stay empty until a player logs regular-season snaps.
Frequently asked questions
Where was Bill Kay drafted?
Bill Kay was selected No. 159 overall by the Houston Oilers in the 1981 NFL Draft (Rd 6). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1981/bill-kay.
What college did Bill Kay play for?
Bill Kay played college football at Purdue in the Big Ten. See every Purdue draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/purdue-boilermakers.
How did Bill Kay's NFL career turn out?
56 regular-season games · 7 career approximate value Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1981/bill-kay.