The Titans ended the fifth round of Sunday's NFL Draft selecting University of Tennessee standout Jesse Mahelona with the 169th overall selection.

The 6'1", 310 pound native of Hawaii spent two years in junior college before joining the University of Tennessee in 2004 and said he is happy to stay in the state where he attended college.

''I'm excited and my family is excited,'' Mahelona said. ''I'm just proud that I got drafted and hopefully I can show my talent.''

Mahelona earned honorable mention All-SEC accolades in 2005 after registering 35 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and two quarterback sacks.

Titans Radio contributor Mike Detillier, author of the M & D Draft report, calls Mahelona "a very disruptive one gap performer, who has a super quick initial surge off the snap". Mahelona said he can both stop the run and disrupt the pass.

''I think probably my pass rush is the better of the two because I'm quick and I'm fast,'' Mahelona said. ''That's what Coach Washburn is for.''

Mahelona was in Hawaii with his family when he got the call from the Titans and said although he wished he could have been drafted sooner, the spot in Tennessee will work out just fine.

'' You try to hope for the best,'' Mahelona said. ''I was shooting around maybe the first day [of the draft], ...but in this case it doesn't work out against you. In this case, I think I'll fit in well with the Titans.''