Kevin Hardy was drafted No. 2 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1996 NFL Draft out of Illinois College. 134 regular-season games · 9 seasons as a starter · 62 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #2
- Round
- 1
- Draft class
- 1996
- NFL games
- 134
- Years as starter
- 9
- Career AV
- 625th at Illinois College
- Pro Bowls
- 1
- All-Pro
- 1
The pick
How Kevin Hardy came off the board in 1996.
- Position
- Linebacker LB
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
134 regular-season games · 9 seasons as a starter · 62 career approximate value
- Games played
- 134
- Seasons as a starter
- 9
- Career approximate value
- 625th among Illinois College picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 4674% of career value
- Final season
- 20048 years after the draft
- Accolades
- 1× All-Pro · 1× Pro Bowl
Around pick 2
Who came off the board on either side of Kevin Hardy.
USC · 3× Pro Bowl
UCLA · Hall of Fame · 4× All-Pro · 11× Pro Bowl
Illinois College in the 1996 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
#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
#195
Ron Ferrari
LB · SF · 1982
Illinois College
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Kevin Hardy in the 1996 NFL Draft
Kevin Hardy is a Linebacker out of Illinois College selected No. 2 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1996 NFL Draft. 134 regular-season games · 9 seasons as a starter · 62 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 Kevin Hardy drafted?
Kevin Hardy was selected No. 2 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1996 NFL Draft (Rd 1). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1996/kevin-hardy.
What college did Kevin Hardy play for?
Kevin Hardy 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 Kevin Hardy's NFL career turn out?
134 regular-season games · 9 seasons as a starter · 62 career approximate value Accolades: 1× All-Pro · 1× Pro Bowl. Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1996/kevin-hardy.