Washington Redskins 2013 NFL Draft Profile: Micah Hyde, Cornerback, Iowa

Measurements: Height-6'0" , Weight- 197 lbs

Projected Round: 5-6

Why he would be a good Redskin:

He is the kind of versatile and dependable player that coaches love. Hyde has experience at left corner, right corner, free safety, gunner and punt returner and he has performed well in each of those roles. He has demonstrated his reliability by playing in every game while at Iowa; including starts in the last 38 contests. He has excellent recognition skills and instincts which have allowed him to become an adept defender against the run. These keen diagnosis skills and his height help him to break up passes and defend jump balls. Hyde also has a knack for making big plays and showing up when his team needs him the most. He had an outstanding senior season which garnered him the Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year award (best DB in the Big Ten). By now it almost goes without saying that the Redskins biggest weakness is their secondary so drafting a guy like Hyde in the latter part of the draft is a near certainty.

Why he won't be drafted by the Redskins:

Several run-ins with the law in the past 7 months have put a black mark on his resume. The fact that he was arrested not once but twice during the end of his time in Iowa City and leading up to the draft is definitely a bit disturbing even though the charges were for minor offenses. He lacks the top end speed that the NFL covets in their corners and he often displays tightness in hips when making quick turns and getting in and out of breaks. These concerns have caused some to view him as more of a free safety. In college some of the flaws in his game were masked because he spent most of the time either playing zone or cover 2 with help over the top as the Hawkeyes rarely blitzed or strayed too far from their base 4-3 attack. There would likely be some growing pains if he was asked to adapt to Jim Haslett's aggressive defensive style which often puts corners on the spot with cover 1 looks.

Bottom Line:

Some of the concerns regarding the Redskins secondary have been alleviated with the signings of DeAngelo Hall and E.J. Biggers; but the group is far from a finished project as the unit is comprised almost entirely of underperforming vets entering their contract year and young players who can't yet be counted on. The Redskins need to build toward the future by drafting both safeties and corners this year. It just so happens that Micah Hyde can play both. His versatility and reliability would be welcome additions to a secondary that is sorely lacking in both areas.

Note: Tiller mentioned Hyde as one of his "under the radar prospects" towards the end of last season.