Former KC Chiefs and Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Jimmy Wilkerson dies at age 43
The Chiefs caught a break in the 2003 NFL Draft when they selected former Oklahoma star defensive lineman Jimmy Wilkerson in the sixth round.
Wilkerson, who died Friday at the age of 43, played nine seasons in the NFL, including five with the Chiefs.
Because he left the Sooners with one year of eligibility remaining, his draft stock tumbled. That was good news for the Chiefs.
Dick Vermeil, who was the Chiefs’ coach in the 2003 draft, was asked about Wilkerson dropping to the late rounds.
“Not all scouts are geniuses,” Vermeil told The Star at the time, “including ours.”
Wilkerson played 72 games over five years with the Chiefs, then spent two seasons with the Buccaneers and one with the Saints.
The Oklahoman, which reported Wilkerson died of a heart attack at his home in Oklahoma City, said he also was an assistant coach at Carl Albert High School.
Wilkerson played for the Chiefs from 2003-07 and had 94 tackles, a sack and nine tackles for loss in 72 games.
“A lot of people told me that if I had stayed in college, I would have been a first-round pick next year,” Wilkerson told The Star in 2003. “But I look at it like this: If you’re good, you’re good, and it doesn’t matter where you’re picked.
“Once I made up my mind, I was happy with my decision.”
Wilkerson had his greatest success with the Buccaneers, recording 11 sacks in 31 games. He started 16 games during that two-season stint with Tampa Bay.
The Saints signed Wilkerson in 2010 and he had two sacks in 16 games.
“He was a great teammate,” former Saints linebacker Scott Shanle said on New Orleans’ website. “He fit into our locker room perfect. He was only here for a year but we were talking about it on our group chat, and everybody remembered Jimmy. He was just a stand-up dude.”
KETK-TV said Wilkerson is survived by his wife Jamie and their four children: Tyson, Maddox, Jax and Emilia.
This story was originally published December 16, 2024 at 11:59 AM.
