10 rookies -- CB Micah Hyde

No. 1 -- CB Micah Hyde

"Lost" is going away, but the island that cornerbacks live on will always be there.

Welcome to the island, Micah Hyde.

Actually, the way Iowa does things -- quarters coverage with two-deep safeties -- it's not really that much of an island. Occasionally, defensive coordinator Norm Parker will throw in a blitz that calls for one-on-one coverage on the outside. This happens probably less than five times a season.

So, OK, not exactly an island for Hyde, who's in line to replace Amari Spievey, a third-round draft pick of the Detroit Lions. But it's a giant step up from the roles Hyde played as a true freshman last season, sometimes special teams and sometimes dime defensive back.

Intersting side note, Hyde's brother, Marcus, will be a senior safety at Michigan State next season. (Maybe that explains Micah's jubilation in the photo below?) Hyde was a late get for the 2009 recruiting class. Iowa played a mean game of poker in offering late and confounding some late comers.

Here's an excerpt from a story on Advertiser-Tribune.com, a newspaper that serves the Fostoria, Ohio, area when Hyde signed with the Hawkeyes in February '09:

(Fostoria coach Tom) Grine got an interesting call on Friday while on the way to Iowa. It was Micah's older brother, Marcus who will be a redshirt junior this season at Michigan State.

“Marcus calls and says coach Mark Dantonio from Michigan State had just came in the weight room and heard that Micah was going to Iowa this weekend and told Marcus as a result of the recruiting process, they ended up having another scholarship open for a defensive back,” Grine said. “I told Marcus that if coach Dantonio has an interest and wants to call me, then have him call me. He called, but I was in a meeting at the time and he left a message saying what Marcus said. I told all of this to Micah but Micah said he liked what he seen out here (Iowa).”

Situation

Hyde has the inside track on right corner. If he's the man, he'll be a first-year starting cornerback in the Big Ten.

Yeah, and? The Big Ten has seven returning starters at quarterback, including Iowa's Ricky Stanzi. The six others (IU's Ben Chappell, Michigan's Tate Forcier/Denard Robinson, Michigan State's Kirk Cousins, Minnesota's Adam Weber, Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor and Wisconsin's Scott Tolzien) are all on Iowa's schedule.

You might've read in a place or two  that Iowa should have a pretty good defensive line in '10. Yes, the linebackers are new-ish, but experienced. The blowout valve might be the corners. Junior Shaun Prater was decent last season, his first as a starter. On the other side, Iowa will have Hyde or junior Jordan Bernstine, who missed 2009 after suffering a broken ankle during fall camp.

Outlook

Hyde does face some competition.

Bernstine enjoyed his best camp at Iowa before snapping his ankle last August. He's got good size (5-11, 205) and came to Iowa with 4.4-second speed in the 40-yard dash. Plus, he's a veteran who's seen time as a dime defensive back in his two seasons on the field. Plus plus, add the fact that he's an upperclassman with a ticking clock. He's a hungry player with something to prove.

Now, that said, Hyde has pretty good size himself at 6-1, 185. That's comparable to former Hawkeye Bradley Fletcher, who was a third-round pick of the Rams in the 2009 NFL draft.

Plus, Hyde was the first player off the bench during the Orange Bowl when Prater suffered a leg injury and left for a handful of series. This was the Orange Bowl, with 2002 redemption on the line. Defensive backs coach Phil Parker sent in a true freshman. Sure, Georgia Tech was hardly a passing juggernaut that night (2 of 9 for 12 yards and a pick), but the Jackets still had the threat in wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, a 1,000-yard receiver and the No. 22 pick to the Denver Broncos last April.

Plus plus, Hyde was listed No. 1 throughout the spring. Sure, I've written that spring depth charts are more or less meaningful than Kiss lyrics, but how do you explain Tarpinian? They might mean more than we all think.

I listed Hyde No. 1 because he is stepping into a crucible. He's a rookie corner. That's not easy on any level.