William Middleton (American football)
Encyclopedia
William Middleton is an American football
cornerback
for the Jacksonville Jaguars
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons
in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Furman.
Middleton has also been a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
.
returns. He was named First-team All-county and All-region honors in 2003 after helping his squad to a 14-1 record and state championship.
sacks and four interceptions. He was a First-team Little All-American and All-Conference seletion. As a junior in 2007 he started at right cornerback in all 11 games and totaled 53 tackles, including three for-loss, three interceptions, and nine pass deflections. In 2006 Middleton won starting job at right cornerback and helped Furman to an 8-4 campaign that included a third straight playoff appearance. He compiled 38 tackles, including four for a loss, four passes defensed, and a pair of fumble recoveries. He also led the team in kickoff returns averaging 23.1 yards on 25 returns, good for fourth in the Southern Conference. In 2005 he registered playing time as both a backup cornerback and kickoff return specialist. He averaged 22.0 yards on 32 returns and ranked fourth in the Southern Conference in kickoff return average.
in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft
. He was waived by the team on September 5, 2009.
' practice squad on September 14, 2009.
on September 20.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
for the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Furman.
Middleton has also been a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
.
Early years
Middleton Attended Marist High School. where he totaled 148 tackles, 10 interceptions, six pass deflections, two kickoff returns for touchdowns, and two blocked punts. He also recorded a school record 103-yard interception return and averaged 27.0 yards on 21 kickoffreturns. He was named First-team All-county and All-region honors in 2003 after helping his squad to a 14-1 record and state championship.
College career
As a senior at Furman he started 12 games, making 95 tackles (38 solo), 8.5 tackles for loss, 13 passes defensed, 5.0sacks and four interceptions. He was a First-team Little All-American and All-Conference seletion. As a junior in 2007 he started at right cornerback in all 11 games and totaled 53 tackles, including three for-loss, three interceptions, and nine pass deflections. In 2006 Middleton won starting job at right cornerback and helped Furman to an 8-4 campaign that included a third straight playoff appearance. He compiled 38 tackles, including four for a loss, four passes defensed, and a pair of fumble recoveries. He also led the team in kickoff returns averaging 23.1 yards on 25 returns, good for fourth in the Southern Conference. In 2005 he registered playing time as both a backup cornerback and kickoff return specialist. He averaged 22.0 yards on 32 returns and ranked fourth in the Southern Conference in kickoff return average.
Pre-draft
| Pre-draft measureables | |||||||||||||||||||
| Height | Weight | 40-yard dash 40 yard dash The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time in the 40 can have a heavy impact on his prospects in college or professional football... |
10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20 ss 20 yard shuttle The 20-yard shuttle, also simply called the short shuttle, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the quickness and change-of-direction ability of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
3-cone 3 cone drill The 3 cone drill, or three cone drill, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the agility, quickness and fluidity of movement of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
Vert Vertical jump A vertical jump or vertical leap is the act of raising one's center of gravity higher in the vertical plane solely with the use of one's own muscles; it is a measure of how high an individual or athlete can elevate off the ground from a standstill.-Types of vertical jump:The vertical jump is... |
Broad | BP Bench press The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight... |
Wonderlic | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-9⅜ ** | 193 ** | 4.42 ** | 1.48 ** | 2.56 ** | 4.37 ** | 7.33 ** | 36½" ** | 10'09" * | 21 ** | x | |||||||||
| * represents NFL combine, **represents Pro Day—"X" Denotes "No Data" or "Did Not Participate" | |||||||||||||||||||
First stint with Falcons
Middleton was drafted by the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
. He was waived by the team on September 5, 2009.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Middleton was claimed off waivers by the Tampa Buccaneers on September 6, 2009, only to be released on September 10.Second stint with Falcons
Middleon was re-signed to the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
' practice squad on September 14, 2009.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Middleton was signed off the Falcons' practice squad by the Jacksonville JaguarsJacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 20.