Penn State has gained a reputation in recent years for having some of the most explosive athletes to enter the draft each year. It started with Saquon Barkley back in 2018 and has been a theme ever since, with guys like Mike Gesecki, Micah Parsons, and Odafe Oweh just to name a few.
This year is no different, with defensive end [autotag]Chop Robinson[/autotag] and tight end [autotag]Theo Johnson[/autotag] putting up historic numbers at the NFL combine. They were not the only Nittany Lions who showed off their athleticism, however.
Cornerback [autotag]Daequan Hardy[/autotag] was one of the unsung heroes of Penn State’s defense in 2023, cementing himself as a legit NFL prospect from the slot. His toughness and playmaking ability was evident on film, and it extended to special teams as well. He returned two punts in one game against UMASS, and he will have return value at the next level with his explosiveness.
Daequan Hardy is a CB prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored an unofficial 8.51 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 333 out of 2222 CB from 1987 to 2024.
Splits Projectedhttps://t.co/miG5j73aDA pic.twitter.com/YavZl4s6kt
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 1, 2024
His vertical was tied for first at the combine with Boston College corner Elijah Jones, which should help him overcome his smaller frame. His speed was no surprise watching him on film, both when exploding into ball carriers and as a return man. He is likely limited to being just a slot corner in the NFL, which will limit his upside in the eyes of NFL teams.
Even though more and more defenses have three corners on the field the majority of the time, slot corners are still undervalued. While the top outside corners are making north of $20 million a year, the top slot corners are just over $10 million. Many teams look to the draft for a cheap way to address slot defender, and Hardy fits that bill.
Right now, he is considered an undrafted player based on NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus rankings. I can’t imagine his stock has fallen that far after an impressive combine. NFL teams will at least draft him for special teams value even if they aren’t sold on his defensive potential.