MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee's Erik Walden became the first Blue Raider to be drafted in the NFL since 2003 when he went in the sixth round to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

Walden, the Blue Raiders' all-time sack leader, was the first pick in the sixth round and the 167th overall in the 2008 draft. The Dublin, Ga., native is the first Blue Raider to go in the NFL Draft since Tyrone Calico was selected in the second round by the Tennessee Titans in 2003 and the first defensive player to go since Anthony Hicks in 1997. Walden is also the first Blue Raider defensive end ever drafted.

A first team All-Sun Belt pick in 2006 and 2007, Walden had 46 stops as a senior to go along with 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception, two pass breakups and a safety. The Lombardi Watch List nominee had a career-best 12 tackles against Louisiana-Monroe and followed that up with 11 stops against Louisiana-Lafayette.

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