Former Penn State CB Daequan Hardy drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 2024 NFL Draft
Former Penn State cornerback Daequan Hardy heard his name selected in the NFL Draft Saturday. The Pittsburgh native is headed to the Buffalo Bills after being selected in the sixth round at pick No. 219 overall.
Hardy is the seventh Nittany Lion selected in this year’s draft. On Thursday, Penn State saw two players selected in the first-round in offensive tackle Olu Fashanu, who went 11th overall to the New York Jets, and edge rusher Chop Robinson go to the Miami Dolphins at pick No. 21. That was followed by offensive tackle Caedan Wallace and Adisa Issac both being selected on Friday.
Leadup to the Draft for Penn State’s slot corner
Daequan Hardy came to Penn State as a last-minute addition to the team’s 2019 recruiting class. He was a two-star prospect according to one online recruiting service and didn’t elicit much fanfare when he joined the Nittany Lions’ defensive back corps.
Five years later, he leaves Penn State as an NFL Draft pick.
Coach James Franklin took a chance on the 5-foot-9 cornerback after a spectacular performance in the PIAA Class 5A championship game as a senior. Hardy scored four touchdowns in his final high school game, including a 100-yard interception return and an 84-yard kickoff return to lift Penn Hills to a state title.
At Penn State, Hardy served as the team’s primary nickel cornerback for three seasons and last year emerged as a dynamic punt-return specialist, too. He averaged 14.6 yards on 17 attempts after taking over at midseason as the team’s primary punt returner.
Hardy showcased his speed and elusiveness on 56- and 68-yard touchdown returns against Massachusetts. That surely intrigued NFL teams. He then posted a 4.38-second 40-yard time at the NFL Combine and surpassed 20 mph (via GPS tracking) at the Shrine Bowl.
Eric Galko, the Shrine Bowl’s director of football operations, speculated that the Pittsburgh native is “probably even faster” than his time at the combine would suggest.
“Hardy will step into the NFL as a ready-to-compete nickel and immediate challenge for a starting return job,” Galko noted.
NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein was a bit more skeptical, contending that Hardy “will need to play with better route anticipation in man [coverage] to make up for his average acceleration and recovery when beaten.” Zierlein also notes that “handling the physicality of the NFL could be a steep challenge for him” but points out that Hardy’s special teams experience could help him secure a spot on an NFL roster.
Nothing would please Hardy more than to find a role in the kicking game. Part of the reason he came back to PSU in 2023 was for the opportunity to show NFL teams that he could be an impact player on special teams as well as defense.
“I’ve been in Coach Franklin’s ear for four years trying to get a chance,” he said last December. “I’m happy he finally let me go out there and showcase it.”
NFL Combine Measurables
CB Daequan HardyMeasurementsArms30 inchesHands8 1/8 inches40-Yard Dash4.38 secondsBench15 reps at 225 lbsVertical42 1/2 inchesBroad Jump10 feet, 6 inchesThree-Cone7.17 seconds20-Yard Shuttle4.17 seconds
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