Whitney Mercilus was drafted No. 26 overall by the Houston Texans in the 2012 NFL Draft out of Illinois College. 138 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 49 career approximate value
2012 NFL Draft · Rd 1, Pick 26 · #26 overall
Whitney Mercilus Illinois College Draft
Whitney Mercilus was drafted No. 26 overall by the Houston Texans in the 2012 NFL Draft out of Illinois College. 138 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 49 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #26
- Round
- 1
- Draft class
- 2012
- NFL games
- 138
- Years as starter
- 8
- Career AV
- 497th at Illinois College
The pick
How Whitney Mercilus came off the board in 2012.
- Position
- Defensive end DE
- Measurables
- 6'4" · 261 lbs
- Hometown
- Akron, OH
- Pre-draft board
- No. 32 prospect89.0 grade
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
138 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 49 career approximate value
- Games played
- 138
- Seasons as a starter
- 8
- Career approximate value
- 497th among Illinois College picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 49100% of career value
- Final season
- 20219 years after the draft
Around pick 26
Who came off the board on either side of Whitney Mercilus.
Stanford · 2× All-Pro · 6× Pro Bowl
Alabama · 2× Pro Bowl
Wisconsin · 1× Pro Bowl
USC
Illinois College in the 2012 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other DE picks from Illinois College
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Illinois College · 1× All-Pro · 3× Pro Bowl
#44
Jihad Ward
DE · LV · 2016
Illinois College
#68
Dawuane Smoot
DE · JAX · 2017
Illinois College
#82
Mike Piel
DE · LAR · 1988
Illinois College
#152
Mel Agee
DE · IND · 1991
Illinois College
#204
Will Davis
DE · ARI · 2009
Illinois College
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Whitney Mercilus in the 2012 NFL Draft
Whitney Mercilus is a Defensive end out of Illinois College selected No. 26 overall by the Houston Texans in the 2012 NFL Draft. 138 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 49 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 Whitney Mercilus drafted?
Whitney Mercilus was selected No. 26 overall by the Houston Texans in the 2012 NFL Draft (Rd 1, Pick 26). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2012/whitney-mercilus.
What college did Whitney Mercilus play for?
Whitney Mercilus played college football at Illinois College in the Big Ten. See every Illinois College draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/illinois-college-blueboys.
How did Whitney Mercilus's NFL career turn out?
138 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 49 career approximate value Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2012/whitney-mercilus.