Kiper's Climber | Minnesota CB Willie Middlebrooks

With all the extra wide-receiver sets you see in the NFL, which are basically phasing out the pure fullback, defensive coordinators are viewing the third cornerback or nickel back as a starter in the deep patrol. And when you combine this factor with all the blue-chip wide receivers coming into the NFL this year, including seven or eight as possible first-rounders, the cornerback spot becomes a key area that needs to be addressed in the first two rounds of the draft.

While Middlebrooks could have used another year in the Big Ten to really establish himself as a top-echelon prospect, he still figures to be drafted in the first round.

On draft day, Ohio State's Nate Clements could be the first cornerback selected, with Mississippi State's Fred Smoot, Syracuse's Will Allen, Wisconsin's Jamar Fletcher, Ole Miss' Ken Lucas and Utah's Andre Dyson also being discussed over the last two months as top-echelon cover men.

Even of late, players such as Notre Dame's Brock Williams and South Florida's Anthony Henry have been garnering a great deal of well-deserved favorable commentary.

With all that said, a player who has emerged of late as a near sure-fire late first-rounder is Minnesota's Willie Middlebrooks. In addition to the ideal size the 6-foot-1½, 202-pounder brings to the cornerback position, he was also viewed as the fastest player on the Golden Gopher squad, with 40 times in the 4.35 range.

Keep in mind, Middlebrooks opted to enter the pro ranks as a fourth-year junior and also missed the final four weeks of the season due to an ankle injury. Those factors contributed to Middlebrooks being projected as more of a second- or third-rounder until the late surge.

As a third-year sophomore in '99, he led the Golden Gophers and ranked third in the Big Ten with 18 pass breakups. Last season, he was off to a solid start until being sidelined.

There's no question that his loss was felt by the Golden Gophers' defense. In fact, the impact of Middlebrooks not being in the lineup was huge. In the three games prior to the season-ending ankle injury, Minnesota held Ohio State to 17 points, Penn State to 16 and Illinois to just 10.

In the game that Middlebrooks was injured, Indiana posted 51 points. Over the next two weeks, with Middlebrooks out of action, Northwestern and Wisconsin each rolled up 41 points against the overmatched Golden Gopher defense. After Iowa scored 24 points in the regular-season finale, Minnesota blew a 24-8 halftime lead to Koren Robinson and N.C. State at the Micronpc.com Bowl, losing 38-30.

While Middlebrooks could have used another year in the Big Ten to really establish himself as a top-echelon prospect, he still figures to come off the board in the mid-later stages of the first round. That has to be more than acceptable for Middlebrooks, considering the time he missed.

With his size, recovery speed, toughness and long-range potential, Middlebrooks has the the upside to figure as a lead cornerback at the pro level once he gains experience. That's why on draft day he will be a possibility for New Orleans at pick No. 23, Minnesota at No. 27 or the Giants at No. 30.