Gastineau became ECU's first-ever draft pick when the New York Jets selected him in the second round of the 1979 NFL Draft. Connie Carberg, the first female NFL scout in history, was credited with helping the Jets discover Gastineau. The team was coaching in the Senior Bowl and needed another defensive lineman on the roster due to a vacancy, so Carberg called several prospects before suggesting Gastineau to be the replacement based on a phone conversation with him. He was projected to be an eighth round draft pick at the time, but due to his performance in the Senior Bowl and other pre-draft processes, the Jets selected him in the second round.
