Rickey Jackson was drafted No. 51 overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 1981 NFL Draft out of Pittsburgh. 227 regular-season games · 15 seasons as a starter · 112 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #51
- Round
- 2
- Draft class
- 1981
- NFL games
- 227
- Years as starter
- 15
- Career AV
- 1124th at Pittsburgh
- Pro Bowls
- 6
The pick
How Rickey Jackson came off the board in 1981.
- Position
- Linebacker LB
- College
-
Pittsburgh
ACC at the draft
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
227 regular-season games · 15 seasons as a starter · 112 career approximate value
- Games played
- 227
- Seasons as a starter
- 15
- Career approximate value
- 1124th among Pittsburgh picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 10896% of career value
- Final season
- 199514 years after the draft
- Accolades
- Hall of Fame · 6× Pro Bowl
Around pick 51
Who came off the board on either side of Rickey Jackson.
LSU
Auburn
Nebraska
Ohio State
Pittsburgh in the 1981 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Pittsburgh · 2× Pro Bowl
#12
Randy McMillan
RB · IND
Pittsburgh
#20
Mark May
G · WAS
Pittsburgh · 1× Pro Bowl
#63
Greg Meisner
NT · LAR
Pittsburgh
#65
Carlton Williamson
DB · SF
Pittsburgh · 2× Pro Bowl
#69
Russ Grimm
G · WAS
Pittsburgh · Hall of Fame · 3× All-Pro · 4× Pro Bowl
#115
Bill Neill
NT · NYG
Pittsburgh
#120
Benjie Pryor
TE · CIN
Pittsburgh
#121
Lynn Thomas
DB · SF
Pittsburgh
#128
Jerry Boyarsky
NT · NO
Pittsburgh
#292
Rick Trocano
QB · PIT
Pittsburgh
Other LB picks from Pittsburgh
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Rickey Jackson in the 1981 NFL Draft
Rickey Jackson is a Linebacker out of Pittsburgh selected No. 51 overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 1981 NFL Draft. 227 regular-season games · 15 seasons as a starter · 112 career approximate value Pittsburgh has produced 151 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 Rickey Jackson drafted?
Rickey Jackson was selected No. 51 overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 1981 NFL Draft (Rd 2). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1981/rickey-jackson.
What college did Rickey Jackson play for?
Rickey Jackson played college football at Pittsburgh in the ACC. See every Pittsburgh draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/pittsburgh-panthers.
How did Rickey Jackson's NFL career turn out?
227 regular-season games · 15 seasons as a starter · 112 career approximate value Accolades: Hall of Fame · 6× Pro Bowl. Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1981/rickey-jackson.