April 30, 2016

CHICAGO – University of Notre Dame defensive tackle Sheldon Day was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round (103rd overall) of the 2016 National Football League Draft Saturday afternoon in Grant Park. Joining the six Notre Dame players selected in the first three rounds, Day gives the Irish at least seven draft picks for the second time in the last three years. Eight Irish players were chosen in 2014.

With seven picks in the first four rounds, the 2016 Irish draft class matches the 1955, 1967, 1993 and 1994 draft classes for the most in school history at this elite stage.

Notre Dame’s seven picks tied Alabama and Florida for the fourth-most of any school in 2016. Only Ohio State (12), Clemson (nine) and UCLA (eight) saw more players chosen. The seven-man haul brings Notre Dame’s all-time NFL Draft roll to 492 members, just one shy of USC (493) for the most all-time.

Day, a two-time captain at Notre Dame, saw action in 48 games and started 32 in a Notre Dame uniform. He finished his Irish career with 32.0 tackles for loss and seven and a half sacks. Day registered 141 tackles, including 91 solo stops, as well as eight passes defended, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

A two-time Notre Dame Lineman of the Year, Day had the best season of his Irish career as a senior in 2015. He was named first-team All-America by USA Today and earned second-team honors by Phil Steele, Football Writers Association of America, Associated Press and Athlon. Day tallied 45 tackles, including a team-high 15.5 for loss, four sacks, four passes defended and two forced fumbles. His 15.5 tackles for loss were the most by an Irish player since Derek Landri in 2006. Day ranked 20th in the FBS in solo tackles for loss, 33rd in tackles for loss and tied for 42nd in tackles for loss per game (1.19). He recorded at least one tackle for loss in 11 of Notre Dame’s 13 games.

Jacksonville has selected a Notre Dame player in each of the past two drafts, also selecting TE Ben Koyack in the seventh round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He is the fifth player from Notre Dame ever selected by the Jaguars, joining DL Renaldo Wynn (1997 first round), ILB Anthony Denman (2001 seventh round) and DT Derek Landri (2007 fifth round) along with Koyack.