William Middleton
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Career Summary
William Middleton was a Furman cornerback selected by Atlanta in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft.
He went on to play four seasons with Jacksonville as a cornerback and special-teams contributor.
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Early Life
Middleton is from Atlanta, Georgia.
Furman listed him as a 2004 Marist High School graduate.
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High School
Middleton attended Marist High School in Atlanta.
He totaled 148 tackles and 10 interceptions in his prep career, helped Marist win the Georgia state championship in 2003, and earned first-team all-county and all-region honors.
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College Career
Middleton was a four-year Furman letterman and three-year starter at defensive back.
He helped Furman reach the FCS playoffs in 2005 and 2006, led the team with three interceptions in 2007, and finished with 194 tackles, seven interceptions and four fumble recoveries.
He also led Furman in kickoff returns in 2005 and 2006 and returned a kickoff 100 yards against Wofford in 2006.
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Path to the NFL
Atlanta selected Middleton in the fifth round, 138th overall, of the 2009 NFL Draft.
After Atlanta waived him, Tampa Bay briefly claimed him before Jacksonville signed him from Atlanta's practice squad in September 2009.
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NFL Career
Middleton played 49 NFL games with Jacksonville from 2009 through 2012.
He totaled 115 tackles, one sack, five passes defensed and two interceptions.
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Career Accomplishments
Middleton was a consensus first-team All-Southern Conference selection and first-team FCS All-American in 2008.
He also served as Furman's senior captain and was named the university's 2008-09 Male Athlete of the Year.
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Playing Style
Middleton combined cornerback play with special-teams and return responsibilities.
Jacksonville described him as a special-teams contributor who also saw nickel-package action at cornerback.
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Legacy
Furman inducted Middleton into its Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017.
His Hall of Fame record recognizes his return production, all-conference honors and All-America senior season.
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22351, 00-0026912, 1986-07-28, William Middleton, William, Middleton
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