Jay Novacek was drafted No. 158 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1985 NFL Draft out of Wyoming. 158 regular-season games · 6 seasons as a starter · 44 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #158
- Round
- 6
- Draft class
- 1985
- NFL games
- 158
- Years as starter
- 6
- Career AV
- 442nd at Wyoming
- Pro Bowls
- 5
- All-Pro
- 1
The pick
How Jay Novacek came off the board in 1985.
- Position
- Tight end TE
- Side of the ball
- Offense
NFL career
158 regular-season games · 6 seasons as a starter · 44 career approximate value
- Games played
- 158
- Seasons as a starter
- 6
- Career approximate value
- 442nd among Wyoming picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 716% of career value
- Final season
- 199510 years after the draft
- Accolades
- 1× All-Pro · 5× Pro Bowl
Around pick 158
Who came off the board on either side of Jay Novacek.
Texas A&M
Stanford
Memphis
Auburn
Other TE picks from Wyoming
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Jay Novacek in the 1985 NFL Draft
Jay Novacek is a Tight end out of Wyoming selected No. 158 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1985 NFL Draft. 158 regular-season games · 6 seasons as a starter · 44 career approximate value Wyoming has produced 40 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 Jay Novacek drafted?
Jay Novacek was selected No. 158 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1985 NFL Draft (Rd 6). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1985/jay-novacek.
What college did Jay Novacek play for?
Jay Novacek played college football at Wyoming in the Mountain West. See every Wyoming draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/wyoming-cowboys.
How did Jay Novacek's NFL career turn out?
158 regular-season games · 6 seasons as a starter · 44 career approximate value Accolades: 1× All-Pro · 5× Pro Bowl. Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1985/jay-novacek.