John Gillen was drafted No. 116 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1981 NFL Draft out of Illinois College. 28 regular-season games · 3 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #116
- Round
- 5
- Draft class
- 1981
- NFL games
- 28
- Career AV
- 371st at Illinois College
The pick
How John Gillen came off the board in 1981.
- Position
- Linebacker LB
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
28 regular-season games · 3 career approximate value
- Games played
- 28
- Career approximate value
- 371st among Illinois College picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 267% of career value
- Final season
- 19832 years after the draft
Around pick 116
Who came off the board on either side of John Gillen.
South Carolina State
Pittsburgh
Alabama
Southern
Illinois College in the 1981 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other LB picks from Illinois College
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Illinois College · 1× All-Pro · 1× Pro Bowl
#245
Danny Clark
LB · JAX · 2000
Illinois College
#144
John Holecek
LB · BUF · 1995
Illinois College
#215
Ed Brady
LB · LAR · 1984
Illinois College
#35
Jack Squirek
LB · LV · 1982
Illinois College
#132
Darrick Brownlow
LB · DAL · 1991
Illinois College
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
John Gillen in the 1981 NFL Draft
John Gillen is a Linebacker out of Illinois College selected No. 116 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1981 NFL Draft. 28 regular-season games · 3 career approximate value Illinois College has produced 120 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 John Gillen drafted?
John Gillen was selected No. 116 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1981 NFL Draft (Rd 5). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1981/john-gillen.
What college did John Gillen play for?
John Gillen played college football at Illinois College in the Midwest. See every Illinois College draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/illinois-college-blueboys.
How did John Gillen's NFL career turn out?
28 regular-season games · 3 career approximate value Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1981/john-gillen.