Nolan Carroll Nolan Alexander Carroll , Jr . ( born January 18 , 1987 ) is an American football cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League ( NFL ) . He was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft . He played college football at Maryland . Early life . Carroll was born on January 18 , 1987 in Green Cove Springs , Florida . His mother , Jennifer , is a former Lieutenant Governor of Florida and a former United States Navy lieutenant commander . His father , Nolan Carroll , Sr . , was a senior master sergeant in the United States Air Force . Carroll attended Clay High School in Green Cove Springs , where he was a one - year letterman in soccer and a three - year starting wide receiver for the football team . In his second football game as a senior , he broke his leg and was forced to sit out for the rest of the 2004 season . Nevertheless , " The Florida Times - Union " named him to its Super 11 and Super 24 teams . PrepStar named him an All - Southeast region and SuperPrep an All - Dixie region player . Carroll received athletic scholarship offers from Central Florida , Colorado , Louisville , Maryland , and Mississippi . Scout . com rated him a two - star college prospect , while Rivals . com considered him a three - star prospect . He ultimately committed to attend the University of Maryland . College career . Carroll sat out the 2005 season on redshirt status , and was named the scout team player of the week for his performance in the practices in preparation for the Florida State game . In 2006 , Carroll saw action in all 13 games as a reserve wide receiver and on special teams . He recorded five kickoff return s for 60 yards . Against West Virginia , he had two returns for 12 yards ; against Boston College , he had two for 31 yards ; and against Wake Forest , he had one for 17 yards . In 2007 , he was converted to the cornerback position , and saw action in all 13 games as a reserve . He recorded seven tackle s on special teams , and returned five kickoffs for 84 yards . He saw action in the 2007 Emerald Bowl against Oregon State , but recorded no statistics . In 2008 , he saw action in ten games including four starts as a cornerback . Carroll recorded 37 tackles . In the 2008 Humanitarian Bowl against Nevada , he tallied seven tackles including four solo , and broke - up two passes . Carroll entered the 2009 season as a starting cornerback , but broke his leg in a September 12 game against James Madison , and missed the rest of the season . Prior to the season , he was elected by his teammates as one of the team ' s four captains . Defensive coordinator Don Brown said of Carroll , " If you were going to clone a guy at that position that he plays , he ' d be one of the prototypes . " The NFL Draft Scout , a CBS Sports affiliate , considered Carroll the 25th out of 225 ranked cornerback prospects for the 2010 NFL Draft , and projected him as a sixth - or seventh - round selection . Professional career . NFL Draft . The NFL Draft Scout , a CBS Sports affiliate , considered Carroll the 25th out of 225 ranked cornerback prospects for the 2010 NFL Draft , and projected him as a sixth - or seventh - round selection . The Miami Dolphins selected Carroll in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft with the 145th overall pick . The pick was received in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers for wide receiver Ted Ginn . Miami Dolphins . He was considered one of the team ' s most promising rookies , and saw action on special teams during the preseason . In Week 4 , he handled kickoff return duties against the New England Patriots . Carroll was part of an improved Miami special teams unit two weeks later against the Green Bay Packers , a game in which he averaged 26 . 0 yards per kickoff return . On December 13 , 2010 , New York Jets strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi extended his knee to trip Carroll as he was running out of bounds to avoid being blocked during a punt ( it is illegal to block or tackle players out of bounds . ) Ex - Dolphin Zach Thomas later claimed that Alosi had ordered a wall formed on the edge of the coaching box in order to prevent the practice of players running out of bounds to avoid being blocked . Alosi was eventually suspended for the rest of the 2010 season . In the same game , Carroll recorded his first career interception when he picked off Jets ' quarterback Mark Sanchez . In 2012 , after cornerback Richard Marshall was placed on IR , Carroll was elevated to the starting role for the majority of season . Philadelphia Eagles . On March 13 , 2014 , he signed a two - year , $ 5 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles .