Jim Wilks was drafted No. 305 overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 1981 NFL Draft out of San Diego State. 183 regular-season games · 11 seasons as a starter · 63 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #305
- Round
- 12
- Draft class
- 1981
- NFL games
- 183
- Years as starter
- 11
- Career AV
- 633rd at San Diego State
The pick
How Jim Wilks came off the board in 1981.
- Position
- Defensive end DE
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
183 regular-season games · 11 seasons as a starter · 63 career approximate value
- Games played
- 183
- Seasons as a starter
- 11
- Career approximate value
- 633rd among San Diego State picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 63100% of career value
- Final season
- 199312 years after the draft
Around pick 305
Who came off the board on either side of Jim Wilks.
Virginia Union
Auburn
Western Illinois
San Diego State in the 1981 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other DE picks from San Diego State
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
San Diego State · 1× Pro Bowl
#111
Doug Reed
DE · LAR · 1983
San Diego State
#79
Sean McNanie
DE · BUF · 1984
San Diego State
#204
Jamal Duff
DE · NYG · 1995
San Diego State
#87
Cameron Thomas
DE · ARI · 2022
San Diego State
#195
Ramondo Stallings
DE · CIN · 1994
San Diego State
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Jim Wilks in the 1981 NFL Draft
Jim Wilks is a Defensive end out of San Diego State selected No. 305 overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 1981 NFL Draft. 183 regular-season games · 11 seasons as a starter · 63 career approximate value San Diego State has produced 91 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 Jim Wilks drafted?
Jim Wilks was selected No. 305 overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 1981 NFL Draft (Rd 12). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1981/jim-wilks.
What college did Jim Wilks play for?
Jim Wilks played college football at San Diego State in the Mountain West. See every San Diego State draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/san-diego-state-aztecs.
How did Jim Wilks's NFL career turn out?
183 regular-season games · 11 seasons as a starter · 63 career approximate value Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1981/jim-wilks.