The Jacksonville Jaguars have signed rookie running back Rashad Jennings to a contract. Jennings was the first of the club's two seventh-round picks in the 2009 NFL Draft, the 250th pick overall. He is the fourth of the team's nine draft picks to sign a contract this year. The Jaguars are scheduled to report to training camp on Sunday, August 2 with the first practice scheduled for the morning of Monday, August 3.
Jennings, 6-1, 235, started three seasons at Liberty after transferring from Pittsburgh and rushed for 4,044 yards and 43 touchdowns in his collegiate career. In three seasons at Liberty, he set the conference records for rushing yards (3,633), attempts (633), touchdowns (42) and 100-yard rushing games (22). He was named Big South Offensive Player of the Year in 2007 and was a consensus first-team All-America selection as a senior.
A native of Forest, Virginia, Jennings rushed for a conference-record 1,500 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2008. He also set the conference mark with ten 100-yard rushing games as he averaged 136.7 yards per game. He finished with 1,690 all-purpose yards, the second-most in league history.
The 24-year old played in eight games as a true freshman at Pittsburgh and ranked second on the team with 411 rushing yards on 86 carries. He attended Liberty Christian Academy where he was a two-time All-Virginia Division II and All-Virginia Independent Conference honoree. His brother, Bryan, was a tight end at Virginia Tech and later played in the NFL with San Diego, New England and Tennessee.