Will Blackwell was drafted No. 53 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1997 NFL Draft out of San Diego State. 47 regular-season games · 8 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #53
- Round
- 2
- Draft class
- 1997
- NFL games
- 47
- Career AV
- 832nd at San Diego State
The pick
How Will Blackwell came off the board in 1997.
- Position
- Wide receiver WR
- Side of the ball
- Offense
NFL career
47 regular-season games · 8 career approximate value
- Games played
- 47
- Career approximate value
- 832nd among San Diego State picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 8100% of career value
- Final season
- 20014 years after the draft
Around pick 53
Who came off the board on either side of Will Blackwell.
Colorado College
Columbia · 1× Pro Bowl
Syracuse
Notre Dame
San Diego State in the 1997 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other WR picks from San Diego State
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
San Diego State · 2× Pro Bowl
#30
Darnay Scott
WR · CIN · 1994
San Diego State
#96
Az-Zahir Hakim
WR · LAR · 1998
San Diego State
#60
Clint Sampson
WR · DEN · 1983
San Diego State
#82
Vincent Brown
WR · LAC · 2011
San Diego State
#209
Brice Butler
WR · LV · 2013
San Diego State
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Will Blackwell in the 1997 NFL Draft
Will Blackwell is a Wide receiver out of San Diego State selected No. 53 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1997 NFL Draft. 47 regular-season games · 8 career approximate value San Diego State has produced 91 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 Will Blackwell drafted?
Will Blackwell was selected No. 53 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1997 NFL Draft (Rd 2). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1997/will-blackwell.
What college did Will Blackwell play for?
Will Blackwell played college football at San Diego State in the Mountain West. See every San Diego State draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/san-diego-state-aztecs.
How did Will Blackwell's NFL career turn out?
47 regular-season games · 8 career approximate value Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1997/will-blackwell.