E.J. Junior was drafted No. 5 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1981 NFL Draft out of Alabama. 170 regular-season games · 9 seasons as a starter · 59 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #5
- Round
- 1
- Draft class
- 1981
- NFL games
- 170
- Years as starter
- 9
- Career AV
- 5914th at Alabama
- Pro Bowls
- 2
- All-Pro
- 1
The pick
How E.J. Junior came off the board in 1981.
- Position
- Linebacker LB
- College
-
Alabama
SEC at the draft
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
170 regular-season games · 9 seasons as a starter · 59 career approximate value
- Games played
- 170
- Seasons as a starter
- 9
- Career approximate value
- 5914th among Alabama picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 5492% of career value
- Final season
- 199312 years after the draft
- Accolades
- 1× All-Pro · 2× Pro Bowl
Around pick 5
Who came off the board on either side of E.J. Junior.
UCLA · 1× All-Pro · 3× Pro Bowl
California
Pittsburgh · 2× Pro Bowl
Alabama in the 1981 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other LB picks from Alabama
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Alabama · Hall of Fame · 2× All-Pro · 9× Pro Bowl
#2
Cornelius Bennett
LB · IND · 1987
Alabama · 1× All-Pro · 5× Pro Bowl
#17
C.J. Mosley
LB · BAL · 2014
Alabama · 5× Pro Bowl
#25
Dont'a Hightower
LB · NE · 2012
Alabama · 2× Pro Bowl
#33
DeMeco Ryans
LB · HOU · 2006
Alabama · 2× Pro Bowl
#3
Will Anderson
LB · HOU · 2023
Alabama · 1× All-Pro · 2× Pro Bowl
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
E.J. Junior in the 1981 NFL Draft
E.J. Junior is a Linebacker out of Alabama selected No. 5 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1981 NFL Draft. 170 regular-season games · 9 seasons as a starter · 59 career approximate value Alabama has produced 263 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 E.J. Junior drafted?
E.J. Junior was selected No. 5 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1981 NFL Draft (Rd 1). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1981/e-j-junior.
What college did E.J. Junior play for?
E.J. Junior played college football at Alabama in the SEC. See every Alabama draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/alabama-crimson-tide.
How did E.J. Junior's NFL career turn out?
170 regular-season games · 9 seasons as a starter · 59 career approximate value Accolades: 1× All-Pro · 2× Pro Bowl. Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1981/e-j-junior.