Junior Seau was drafted No. 5 overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 1990 NFL Draft out of USC. 268 regular-season games · 16 seasons as a starter · 133 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #5
- Round
- 1
- Draft class
- 1990
- NFL games
- 268
- Years as starter
- 16
- Career AV
- 1333rd at USC
- Pro Bowls
- 12
- All-Pro
- 6
The pick
How Junior Seau came off the board in 1990.
- Position
- Linebacker LB
- College
-
USC
Big Ten at the draft
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
268 regular-season games · 16 seasons as a starter · 133 career approximate value
- Games played
- 268
- Seasons as a starter
- 16
- Career approximate value
- 1333rd among USC picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 12594% of career value
- Final season
- 200919 years after the draft
- Accolades
- Hall of Fame · 6× All-Pro · 12× Pro Bowl
Around pick 5
Who came off the board on either side of Junior Seau.
Miami · Hall of Fame · 3× All-Pro · 8× Pro Bowl
Alabama
Houston
USC in the 1990 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other LB picks from USC
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Clay Matthews
LB · GB · 2009
USC · 1× All-Pro · 6× Pro Bowl
#3
Chip Banks
LB · CLE · 1982
USC · 1× All-Pro · 4× Pro Bowl
#45
Lofa Tatupu
LB · SEA · 2005
USC · 1× All-Pro · 3× Pro Bowl
#5
Duane Bickett
LB · IND · 1985
USC · 1× Pro Bowl
#68
Jack Del Rio
LB · NO · 1985
USC · 1× Pro Bowl
#15
Brian Cushing
LB · HOU · 2009
USC · 1× Pro Bowl
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Junior Seau in the 1990 NFL Draft
Junior Seau is a Linebacker out of USC selected No. 5 overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 1990 NFL Draft. 268 regular-season games · 16 seasons as a starter · 133 career approximate value USC has produced 252 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 Junior Seau drafted?
Junior Seau was selected No. 5 overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 1990 NFL Draft (Rd 1). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1990/junior-seau.
What college did Junior Seau play for?
Junior Seau played college football at USC in the Big Ten. See every USC draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/usc-trojans.
How did Junior Seau's NFL career turn out?
268 regular-season games · 16 seasons as a starter · 133 career approximate value Accolades: Hall of Fame · 6× All-Pro · 12× Pro Bowl. Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1990/junior-seau.