 Eastern Michigan defensive end Jason Jones was selected in the second round Saturday of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. Jones was the only player from the Mid-American Conference selected on the opening day of the annual event. The final five rounds of the seven-round NFL draft will take place on Sunday.
Jones concluded his career ranking second all-time at Eastern Michigan in tackles for loss and finished seventh nationally in that category with 19.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage in 2007. Jones, a first-team All-MAC and third team All-American selection in 2007, was converted from tight end in his sophomore season and by his junior year (2006) topped the MAC in tackles for loss with 18.5, earning second team All-MAC honors.
The Eagles standout saw his draft stock rise considerably after a strong showing in the 2008 Senior Bowl and after testing strongly in the annual NFL Combine.
 Jones will likely get every opportunity to secure a starting role on the Titans' defensive line with the team looking to replace Antwan Odom at right defensive end and hoping to shore up its defensive line.
"He's going to be able to come right in and play," Titans head coach Jeff Fisher told Titans Radio after Tennessee selected Jones. "He can come in and lineup at end for us, he can move inside and rush at tackle."
Acknowledging that he may also be tried at defensive tackle, Jones said in a conference call that he would be comfortable playing either position. "That's up to the Tennessee Titans. I'm a versatile defender. In college I played both (positions), but mostly inside."
With his second round selection in the 2008 NFL Draft, Jones became the highest Eastern Michigan draft choice since L.J. Shelton was picked in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals and was the first Eagles player drafted since Chris Roberson was selected in the seventh round by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2005.
The MAC had eight players selected in last year's NFL Draft, including a pair of selections in the first two rounds as Central Michigan offensive tackle Joe Staley was a first round selection of the San Francisco 49ers while Staley's CMU teammate, defensive end Daniel Bazuin, was a second round selection of the Chicago Bears.
The NFL draft resumes Sunday with Toledo offensive lineman John Greco likely to be among the first MAC players selected on day two.
Background: Eastern Michigan's Jason Jones Has Plenty of Motivation (8/25/07)
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