# List of Illinois Fighting Illini in the NFL draft

This is a list of Illinois Fighting Illini football players in the NFL draft.

## Key

| B | Back | K | Kicker | NT | Nose tackle |
| C | Center | LB | Linebacker | FB | Fullback |
| DB | Defensive back | P | Punter | HB | Halfback |
| DE | Defensive end | QB | Quarterback | WR | Wide receiver |
| DT | Defensive tackle | RB | Running back | G | Guard |
| E | End | T | Offensive tackle | TE | Tight end |

## Selections

| Year | Round | Pick | Player | Team | Position |
| 1937 | 8 | 77 | Elvin Sayre | Detroit Lions | C |
| 1939 | 20 | 187 | Jim McDonald | Detroit Lions | C |
| 1940 | 15 | 139 | Mel Brewer | Green Bay Packers | G |
| 1940 | 20 | 189 | Jim Reeder | Green Bay Packers | T |
| 1941 | 21 | 195 | Tom Riggs | Washington Redskins | T |
| 1943 | 26 | 244 | Eddie McGovern | Chicago Cardinals | B |
| 1944 | 1 | 11 | Tony Butkovich | Cleveland Rams | B |
| 1944 | 8 | 71 | Alex Agase | Green Bay Packers | G |
| 1944 | 14 | 133 | John Genis | Brooklyn Dodgers | T |
| 1944 | 14 | 137 | Don Griffin | Green Bay Packers | B |
| 1944 | 26 | 265 | Ray Grierson | Brooklyn Dodgers | E |
| 1945 | 9 | 82 | Les Joop | Detroit Lions | T |
| 1945 | 12 | 115 | Mike Kasap | Detroit Lions | T |
| 1945 | 26 | 268 | Ray Florek | Cleveland Rams | B |
| 1946 | 2 | 11 | Mac Wenskunas | Chicago Cardinals | C |
| 1946 | 2 | 14 | Julie Rykovich | Chicago Bears | B |
| 1946 | 11 | 99 | Chick Maggioli | Washington Redskins | B |
| 1946 | 12 | 104 | Frank Bauman | Chicago Bears | E |
| 1946 | 14 | 129 | Stan Sprague | Washington Redskins | E |
| 1946 | 19 | 174 | Tom Gallagher | Chicago Bears | B |
| 1946 | 27 | 255 | Butch Kalens | New York Giants | G |
| 1947 | 9 | 70 | Art Dufelmeier | Chicago Cardinals | B |
| 1947 | 9 | 75 | Dwight Eddleman | Chicago Bears | B |
| 1947 | 11 | 93 | Russ Steger | Los Angeles Rams | B |
| 1947 | 23 | 213 | Lou Levanti | Los Angeles Rams | C |
| 1947 | 30 | 285 | Jack Pierce | Chicago Bears | B |
| 1947 | 32 | 299 | Bob Prymuski | Los Angeles Rams | G |
| 1948 | 3 | 15 | Les Bingaman | Detroit Lions | T |
| 1948 | 8 | 61 | Bob Cunz | Green Bay Packers | T |
| 1948 | 13 | 107 | Russ Steger | Detroit Lions | B |
| 1948 | 13 | 111 | Perry Moss | Green Bay Packers | B |
| 1948 | 15 | 131 | Lou Agase | Green Bay Packers | T |
| 1949 | 13 | 123 | Al Mastrangeli | Green Bay Packers | C |
| 1949 | 13 | 131 | Lyle Button | Philadelphia Eagles | T |
| 1949 | 14 | 140 | Tony Klimek | Chicago Cardinals | E |
| 1949 | 18 | 178 | Herb Siegert | Washington Redskins | G |
| 1949 | 23 | 227 | Walt Kersulis | Los Angeles Rams | E |
| 1950 | 14 | 175 | Lyle Button | Washington Redskins | T |
| 1950 | 23 | 294 | Walt Kerulis | Pittsburgh Steelers | E |
| 1950 | 28 | 356 | Johnny Karras | Detroit Lions | B |
| 1950 | 29 | 369 | Russ Steger | Detroit Lions | B |
| 1951 | 5 | 51 | Lynn Lynch | Chicago Cardinals | G |
| 1951 | 8 | 91 | Dick Raklovits | Detroit Lions | B |
| 1951 | 13 | 153 | Wayne Siegert | Detroit Lions | T |
| 1951 | 13 | 158 | Paul Douglass | New York Giants | B |
| 1951 | 18 | 216 | Chuck Brown | Chicago Bears | G |
| 1951 | 20 | 234 | Al Tate | San Francisco 49ers | T |
| 1951 | 27 | 324 | Al Brosky | Los Angeles Rams | B |
| 1952 | 2 | 16 | Johnny Karras | Chicago Cardinals | B |
| 1952 | 4 | 41 | Chuck Ulrich | Philadelphia Eagles | T |
| 1952 | 16 | 187 | Marv Berschet | Washington Redskins | T |
| 1952 | 16 | 189 | Herb Neathery | Cleveland Browns | B |
| 1952 | 18 | 212 | Tommy O'Connell | Chicago Bears | B |
| 1952 | 20 | 231 | Chuck Boerio | Green Bay Packers | C |
| 1952 | 21 | 247 | Dick Jenkins | Washington Redskins | T |
| 1952 | 26 | 312 | Joe Vernasco | Cleveland Browns | E |
| 1952 | 30 | 353 | Don Stevens | Philadelphia Eagles | B |
| 1953 | 5 | 61 | Rex Smith | Philadelphia Eagles | E |
| 1953 | 16 | 191 | Eric Kuykendall | Cleveland Browns | B |
| 1953 | 19 | 225 | Pete Bachouros | Philadelphia Eagles | B |
| 1954 | 1 | 6 | Stan Wallace | Chicago Bears | RB |
| 1954 | 1 | 12 | John Bauer | Cleveland Browns | G |
| 1954 | 2 | 21 | Rocky Ryan | Philadelphia Eagles | E |
| 1954 | 14 | 162 | Ken Miller | Chicago Bears | B |
| 1954 | 21 | 252 | Jim Baughman | Cleveland Browns | G |
| 1954 | 29 | 341 | Claude Taliaferro | Baltimore Colts | B |
| 1955 | 25 | 300 | Dick Miller | Detroit Lions | T |
| 1955 | 30 | 356 | Bob Gongola | San Francisco 49ers | B |
| 1956 | 7 | 82 | J. C. Caroline | Chicago Bears | B |
| 1956 | 12 | 144 | Em Lindbeck | Los Angeles Rams | QB |
| 1956 | 14 | 162 | Carnell Neuman | Chicago Cardinals | B |
| 1956 | 29 | 348 | Mickey Bates | Los Angeles Rams | B |
| 1957 | 2 | 15 | Abe Woodson | San Francisco 49ers | B |
| 1957 | 5 | 58 | Wayne Bock | Chicago Cardinals | T |
| 1957 | 20 | 231 | Percy Oliver | Green Bay Packers | G |
| 1957 | 24 | 282 | Gary Francis | Pittsburgh Steelers | E |
| 1958 | 3 | 36 | Ray Nitschke | Green Bay Packers | LB |
| 1958 | 7 | 84 | Bobby Mitchell | Cleveland Browns | RB |
| 1958 | 10 | 110 | Carl Johnson | Green Bay Packers | T |
| 1958 | 24 | 282 | Rod Hanson | Washington Redskins | E |
| 1959 | 1 | 11 | Rich Kreitling | Cleveland Browns | WR |
| 1959 | 9 | 107 | Jack Delveaux | New York Giants | B |
| 1959 | 18 | 207 | Darrell DeDecker | Chicago Cardinals | T |
| 1959 | 23 | 270 | Bruce Dollahan | San Francisco 49ers | T |
| 1959 | 29 | 346 | Ron Nietupski | Cleveland Browns | T |
| 1960 | 5 | 50 | Bill Burrell | St. Louis Cardinals | LB |
| 1961 | 1 | 3 | Joe Rutgens | Washington Redskins | T |
| 1961 | 2 | 20 | Bill Brown | Chicago Bears | B |
| 1961 | 6 | 72 | Joe Krakoski | Washington Redskins | B |
| 1961 | 8 | 106 | Marshall Starks | St. Louis Cardinals | RB |
| 1961 | 11 | 149 | Tony Parrilli | San Francisco 49ers | G |
| 1961 | 13 | 176 | Ernie McMillan | St. Louis Cardinals | E |
| 1961 | 17 | 238 | Larry Lavery | Philadelphia Eagles | T |
| 1962 | 7 | 91 | Ed O'Bradovich | Chicago Bears | E |
| 1962 | 9 | 123 | Chuck Dickerson | Cleveland Browns | T |
| 1962 | 18 | 246 | Gary Brown | San Francisco 49ers | T |
| 1963 | 10 | 138 | Mike Taliaferro | New York Giants | QB |
| 1963 | 17 | 238 | Thurman Walker | Green Bay Packers | E |
| 1965 | 1 | 3 | Dick Butkus | Chicago Bears | LB |
| 1965 | 1 | 13 | George Donnelly | San Francisco 49ers | B |
| 1965 | 2 | 15 | Archie Sutton | Minnesota Vikings | T |
| 1965 | 13 | 170 | Gregg Schumacher | San Francisco 49ers | E |
| 1965 | 17 | 225 | Dave Powless | New York Giants | G |
| 1966 | 1 | 1 | Jim Grabowski | Miami Dolphins | RB |
| 1966 | 1 | 9 | Jim Grabowski | Green Bay Packers | RB |
| 1966 | 3 | 42 | Don Hansen | Minnesota Vikings | LB |
| 1966 | 4 | 57 | Ron Acks | Minnesota Vikings | DE |
| 1966 | 16 | 240 | Sam Price | New York Giants | RB |
| 1966 | 17 | 254 | Gary Eickman | New York Giants | T |
| 1966 | 18 | 268 | Kai Anderson | New York Giants | C |
| 1966 | 18 | 270 | Dale Greco | Minnesota Vikings | DT |
| 1967 | 10 | 250 | Bruce Sullivan | Washington Redskins | DB |
| 1967 | 12 | 298 | Preston Pearson | Baltimore Colts | DB |
| 1968 | 2 | 39 | Cyril Pinder | Philadelphia Eagles | RB |
| 1968 | 2 | 53 | John Wright | Atlanta Falcons | WR |
| 1968 | 8 | 202 | Terry Miller | Detroit Lions | LB |
| 1968 | 9 | 224 | Bob Robertson | Houston Oilers | C |
| 1968 | 9 | 241 | Ken Kmiec | Dallas Cowboys | DB |
| 1969 | 3 | 78 | Rich Johnson | Houston Oilers | RB |
| 1969 | 5 | 127 | Tony Pleviak | Atlanta Falcons | DE |
| 1969 | 10 | 256 | Bob Naponic | Houston Oilers | QB |
| 1971 | 6 | 142 | Doug Dieken | Cleveland Browns | T |
| 1973 | 4 | 80 | Mike Wells | Minnesota Vikings | QB |
| 1973 | 9 | 214 | Tab Bennett | San Diego Chargers | LB |
| 1973 | 10 | 251 | Willie Osley | Kansas City Chiefs | DB |
| 1973 | 10 | 255 | Larry Allen | Green Bay Packers | LB |
| 1973 | 12 | 308 | Larry McCarren | Green Bay Packers | C |
| 1974 | 7 | 171 | Gerry Sullivan | Cleveland Browns | T |
| 1974 | 16 | 412 | Octavus Morgan | Pittsburgh Steelers | LB |
| 1975 | 5 | 110 | Revie Sorey | Chicago Bears | G |
| 1975 | 6 | 151 | Tom Hicks | Chicago Bears | LB |
| 1975 | 16 | 396 | Mark Peterson | Kansas City Chiefs | DE |
| 1976 | 5 | 139 | Lonnie Perrin | Denver Broncos | RB |
| 1976 | 9 | 258 | Stu Levenick | Baltimore Colts | T |
| 1976 | 10 | 271 | Doug Kleber | Cleveland Browns | T |
| 1976 | 14 | 381 | Joe Smalzer | Cleveland Browns | TE |
| 1977 | 9 | 250 | Scott Studwell | Minnesota Vikings | LB |
| 1977 | 10 | 278 | Dan Beaver | Minnesota Vikings | K |
| 1978 | 9 | 231 | Rich Grimmett | Seattle Seahawks | T |
| 1979 | 4 | 99 | Derwin Tucker | Los Angeles Rams | DB |
| 1979 | 6 | 147 | John Sullivan | Chicago Bears | LB |
| 1979 | 8 | 219 | Bruce Thornton | Dallas Cowboys | DT |
| 1980 | 9 | 241 | Lawrence McCullough | Washington Redskins | WR |
| 1981 | 5 | 116 | John Gillen | St. Louis Cardinals | LB |
| 1981 | 11 | 281 | Mike Sherrod | St. Louis Cardinals | TE |
| 1981s | 1 | 0 | Dave Wilson | New Orleans Saints | QB |
| 1982 | 2 | 35 | Jack Squirek | Los Angeles Raiders | LB |
| 1982 | 7 | 195 | Ron Ferrari | San Francisco 49ers | LB |
| 1982 | 8 | 212 | Kelvin Atkins | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | LB |
| 1983 | 1 | 15 | Tony Eason | New England Patriots | QB |
| 1983 | 6 | 155 | Mike Bass | New England Patriots | K |
| 1983 | 8 | 221 | Mike Martin | Cincinnati Bengals | WR |
| 1983 | 9 | 231 | Adam Lingner | Kansas City Chiefs | C |
| 1983 | 12 | 313 | Oliver Williams | Chicago Bears | WR |
| 1984 | 4 | 95 | Mitchell Brookins | Buffalo Bills | WR |
| 1984 | 6 | 147 | Dwight Beverly | Indianapolis Colts | RB |
| 1984 | 6 | 156 | Don Thorp | New Orleans Saints | DT |
| 1984 | 8 | 215 | Ed Brady | Los Angeles Rams | LB |
| 1984 | 9 | 227 | Mike Johnson | Houston Oilers | DE |
| 1984 | 11 | 290 | Bob Stowe | Indianapolis Colts | T |
| 1984 | 11 | 298 | Mark Butkus | Chicago Bears | DT |
| 1984 | 12 | 328 | Moe Bias | Los Angeles Rams | LB |
| 1984 | 12 | 333 | Mike Weingrad | Miami Dolphins | LB |
| 1985 | 4 | 92 | Mike Heaven | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | DB |
| 1985 | 10 | 253 | Chris Babyar | Buffalo Bills | G |
| 1985 | 11 | 284 | John Ayres | Atlanta Falcons | DB |
| 1986 | 2 | 47 | Jack Trudeau | Indianapolis Colts | QB |
| 1986 | 3 | 82 | David Williams | Chicago Bears | WR |
| 1986 | 4 | 83 | Craig Swoope | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | DB |
| 1986 | 4 | 104 | Jim Juriga | Denver Broncos | T |
| 1986 | 6 | 147 | Thomas Rooks | Minnesota Vikings | RB |
| 1986 | 7 | 172 | Chris White | Indianapolis Colts | K |
| 1986 | 8 | 207 | Cap Boso | Pittsburgh Steelers | TE |
| 1986 | 9 | 225 | Bob Sebring | Houston Oilers | LB |
| 1986 | 10 | 251 | Guy Teafatiller | Buffalo Bills | DT |
| 1987 | 8 | 212 | Mark Dennis | Miami Dolphins | T |
| 1987 | 10 | 264 | Jerry Reese | Atlanta Falcons | TE |
| 1988 | 1 | 25 | Scott Davis | Los Angeles Raiders | DE |
| 1988 | 3 | 82 | Mike Piel | Los Angeles Rams | DT |
| 1988 | 5 | 134 | Keith Taylor | New Orleans Saints | DB |
| 1988 | 7 | 181 | Darryl Usher | New England Patriots | WR |
| 1988 | 11 | 295 | Bobby Dawson | Pittsburgh Steelers | DB |
| 1989 | 3 | 62 | Keith Jones | Atlanta Falcons | RB |
| 1990 | 1 | 1 | Jeff George | Indianapolis Colts | QB |
| 1990 | 2 | 50 | Mike Bellamy | Philadelphia Eagles | WR |
| 1991 | 1 | 26 | Henry Jones | Buffalo Bills | DB |
| 1991 | 4 | 87 | Moe Gardner | Atlanta Falcons | DT |
| 1991 | 5 | 132 | Darrick Brownlow | Dallas Cowboys | LB |
| 1991 | 6 | 152 | Mel Agee | Indianapolis Colts | DT |
| 1991 | 7 | 191 | Chris Green | Miami Dolphins | DB |
| 1991 | 9 | 236 | Howard Griffith | Indianapolis Colts | RB |
| 1992 | 7 | 189 | Elbert Tuener | Houston Oilers | WR |
| 1992 | 12 | 328 | Kameno Bell | Miami Dolphins | RB |
| 1992 | 12 | 329 | Tim Simpson | Cleveland Browns | C |
| 1993 | 1 | 13 | Brad Hopkins | Houston Oilers | T |
| 1994 | 7 | 221 | Filmel Johnson | Buffalo Bills | DB |
| 1995 | 2 | 48 | Ken Dilger | Indianapolis Colts | TE |
| 1995 | 5 | 144 | John Holecek | Buffalo Bills | LB |
| 1995 | 5 | 168 | Dana Howard | Dallas Cowboys | LB |
| 1995 | 7 | 226 | Scott Turner | Washington Redskins | DB |
| 1996 | 1 | 2 | Kevin Hardy | Jacksonville Jaguars | LB |
| 1996 | 1 | 3 | Simeon Rice | Arizona Cardinals | DE |
| 1996 | 3 | 69 | Ken Blackman | Cincinnati Bengals | G |
| 1997 | 6 | 181 | Dennis Stallings | Houston Oilers | LB |
| 1998 | 2 | 37 | Robert Holcombe | St. Louis Rams | RB |
| 1999 | 6 | 197 | J. P. Machado | New York Jets | G |
| 2000 | 6 | 169 | Neil Rackers | Cincinnati Bengals | K |
| 2000 | 7 | 245 | Danny Clark | Jacksonville Jaguars | LB |
| 2001 | 5 | 144 | Marques Sullivan | Buffalo Bills | T |
| 2001 | 6 | 174 | Jameel Cook | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | RB |
| 2002 | 5 | 158 | Kurt Kittner | Atlanta Falcons | QB |
| 2003 | 2 | 36 | Eugene Wilson | New England Patriots | DB |
| 2003 | 4 | 124 | Brandon Lloyd | San Francisco 49ers | WR |
| 2003 | 5 | 160 | David Diehl | New York Giants | G |
| 2003 | 5 | 173 | Tony Pashos | Baltimore Ravens | T |
| 2003 | 7 | 226 | Walter Young | Carolina Panthers | WR |
| 2004 | 5 | 159 | Sean Bubin | Jacksonville Jaguars | T |
| 2004 | 7 | 233 | Christian Morton | New England Patriots | DB |
| 2005 | 2 | 60 | Kelvin Hayden | Indianapolis Colts | DB |
| 2005 | 4 | 122 | Duke Preston | Buffalo Bills | C |
| 2007 | 7 | 237 | Alan Ball | Dallas Cowboys | DB |
| 2008 | 1 | 23 | Rashard Mendenhall | Pittsburgh Steelers | RB |
| 2009 | 1 | 25 | Vontae Davis | Miami Dolphins | DB |
| 2009 | 5 | 155 | Xavier Fulton | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | T |
| 2009 | 6 | 204 | Will Davis | Arizona Cardinals | DE |
| 2010 | 2 | 39 | Arrelious Benn | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | WR |
| 2010 | 3 | 68 | Jon Asamoah | Kansas City Chiefs | G |
| 2010 | 5 | 132 | Michael Hoomanawanui | St. Louis Rams | TE |
| 2010s | 7 | 0 | Josh Brent | Dallas Cowboys | DT |
| 2011 | 1 | 18 | Corey Liuget | San Diego Chargers | DT |
| 2011 | 2 | 57 | Mikel Leshoure | Detroit Lions | RB |
| 2011 | 3 | 72 | Martez Wilson | New Orleans Saints | LB |
| 2011 | 7 | 243 | Nate Bussey | New Orleans Saints | LB |
| 2012 | 1 | 26 | Whitney Mercilus | Houston Texans | DE |
| 2012 | 1 | 30 | A. J. Jenkins | San Francisco 49ers | WR |
| 2012 | 2 | 44 | Jeff Allen | Kansas City Chiefs | T |
| 2012 | 2 | 48 | Tavon Wilson | New England Patriots | DB |
| 2013 | 3 | 86 | Hugh Thornton | Indianapolis Colts | G |
| 2013 | 4 | 100 | Akeem Spence | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | DT |
| 2013 | 5 | 150 | Terry Hawthorne | Pittsburgh Steelers | DB |
| 2013 | 7 | 226 | Michael Buchanan | New England Patriots | DE |
| 2016 | 2 | 44 | Jihad Ward | Oakland Raiders | DE |
| 2016 | 6 | 221 | Ted Karras | New England Patriots | G |
| 2016 | 7 | 245 | Clayton Fejedelem | Cincinnati Bengals | DB |
| 2017 | 3 | 68 | Dawuane Smoot | Jacksonville Jaguars | DE |
| 2019 | 7 | 216 | Nick Allegretti | Kansas City Chiefs | G |
| 2021 | 3 | 87 | Kendrick Green | Pittsburgh Steelers | G |
| 2021 | 5 | 167 | Nate Hobbs | Las Vegas Raiders | DB |
| 2022 | 3 | 97 | Kerby Joseph | Detroit Lions | DB |
| 2022 | 6 | 184 | Vederian Lowe | Minnesota Vikings | T |
| 2022 | 6 | 207 | Doug Kramer | Chicago Bears | C |
| 2023 | 1 | 5 | Devon Witherspoon | Seattle Seahawks | DB |
| 2023 | 2 | 47 | Quan Martin | Washington Commanders | DB |
| 2023 | 3 | 66 | Sydney Brown | Philadelphia Eagles | DB |
| 2023 | 5 | 163 | Chase Brown | Cincinnati Bengals | RB |
| 2024 | 2 | 36 | Johnny Newton | Washington Commanders | DT |
| 2024 | 3 | 71 | Isaiah Adams | Arizona Cardinals | G |
| 2024 | 3 | 82 | Tip Reiman | Arizona Cardinals | TE |
| 2024 | 6 | 187 | Casey Washington | Atlanta Falcons | WR |