[1] Born in Bingham Canyon, Utah, Wilkin attended Springville High School, where he played football, basketball, and track and field.

[7] After the 1943 season, Wilkin entered the United States Marine Corps during World War II.

[8] After his service with the Marines ended, Wilkin signed with the Chicago Rockets of the All-America Football Conference in 1946.

[4][8] After retiring from football, Wilkin became a math and social studies high school teacher for special needs children in Monterey County, California, and was an offensive line coach for Monterey High School.

However, two years later, he developed stomach cancer, and died at age 57 in 1973 in Palo Alto, California.