James Darling was drafted No. 57 overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1997 NFL Draft out of Washington State. 139 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 29 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #57
- Round
- 2
- Draft class
- 1997
- NFL games
- 139
- Years as starter
- 4
- Career AV
- 2917th at Washington State
The pick
How James Darling came off the board in 1997.
- Position
- Linebacker LB
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
139 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 29 career approximate value
- Games played
- 139
- Seasons as a starter
- 4
- Career approximate value
- 2917th among Washington State picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 1138% of career value
- Final season
- 20069 years after the draft
Around pick 57
Who came off the board on either side of James Darling.
Notre Dame
Nebraska
Penn State
Texas A&M
Washington State in the 1997 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other LB picks from Washington State
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Washington State · 2× Pro Bowl
#99
Lewis Bush
LB · LAC · 1993
Washington State
#85
Daiyan Henley
LB · LAC · 2023
Washington State
#190
Brian Forde
LB · NO · 1988
Washington State
#38
Raonall Smith
LB · MIN · 2002
Washington State
#91
Scott Pelluer
LB · DAL · 1981
Washington State
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
James Darling in the 1997 NFL Draft
James Darling is a Linebacker out of Washington State selected No. 57 overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1997 NFL Draft. 139 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 29 career approximate value Washington State has produced 96 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 James Darling drafted?
James Darling was selected No. 57 overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1997 NFL Draft (Rd 2). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1997/james-darling.
What college did James Darling play for?
James Darling played college football at Washington State in the Pac-12. See every Washington State draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/washington-state-cougars.
How did James Darling's NFL career turn out?
139 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 29 career approximate value Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1997/james-darling.