Jaguars take Issac in fifth round

MURFREESBORO  Middle Tennessee cornerback Rod Issac was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round (147 pick overall) of the NFL Draft on Saturday afternoon.

It marks the highest a Blue Raider has been drafted since receiver Tyrone Calico went to the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the 2003 draft. It also marks the third player drafted by the NFL under Rick Stockstill and all three have come on the defensive side of the ball. Erik Walden was drafted in the sixth round of the 2008 Draft by the Dallas Cowboys and Chris McCoy was taken in the seventh round last year by the Miami Dolphins.

It's also the first time Middle Tennessee has had a player drafted by the NFL in consecutive years since 2002 and 2003.

Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio told the NFL Network "in playing teams that use a lot of three-wide sets, (Issac) will give us another corner to help slow those people down." The Jaguars have drafted two previous Blue Raiders over the years with wide receiver Kendall Newson going in the seventh round of the 2002 Draft and Jonathan Quinn being selected in the third round of the 1998 Draft.

Issac (5-11, 196) had 37 starts as a Blue Raider. He finished with 189 tackles, 12 tackles-for-loss, five interceptions, 18 pass breakups, three fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles and three touchdowns.

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