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The Green Bay Packers were looking to put some youth back into their secondary, and they did so with CB/S Micah Hyde in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
Hyde will head northeast from the University of Iowa, where he spent four seasons working primarily as a cornerback. Hyde didn’t immediately stand out, but as a sophomore, he slowly emerged on the scene. He wasn’t a household name sandwiched in between future NFL players like Pat Angerer, Tyler Sash, and Adrian Clayborn. But as his career progressed, and the talent cleared out, it became obvious just how good Hyde was.
He played stints at safety during his last two seasons in college, but it’s clear that cornerback is his natural position. The Packers may ultimately think differently, but for now, he’s a corner.
“I’ve been playing corner the past couple years in Iowa City, and that’s what I’m used to. I played a couple games at safety, but I didn’t play my best, so I went back to corner. And that’s the position I’ve been playing at. I’m 100% comfortable with playing at corner,” said Hyde.
It sounds like the Packers plan to use him in nickel situations to start off, and that’s definitely the best place for him. He has tremendous versatility, so he’ll inevitably be able to produce wherever Green Bay wants him to line up. The big thing you kept hearing about Hyde during the draft, was that he had great ‘ball skills.’ As in, he just has a nose for the ball, and a knack for the game.
Hyde brings a lot more to the table than his fifth round status indicates, and the Packers did very well by selecting him to help replenish their secondary.
This is the play Hyde was most known for in college:
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