We’re not sure how the Steelers missed out on Hardy; the Pittsburgh native played 7-on-7 football as a kid with Joey Porter Jr. and Mike Tomlin’s son, Dino. In any event, a Bills secondary that got old seemingly overnight will benefit from Hardy’s presence. Last season for the Nittany Lions, Hardy allowed 26 catches on 48 targets for 318 yards, 164 yards after the catch, two touchdowns, two interceptions, five pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 71.4. Not bad for a player selected with the 219th overall pick in the sixth round.
At 5′ 9⅜” and 178 pounds and a wingspan that’s in the first percentile for cornerbacks since 1999, Hardy is absolutely a slot defender at the NFL level, but he has the potential to be a good one.
The Bills' secondary got old in a big hurry, and now, it's time to start over. Sixth-round CB Daequan Hardy projects well as a slot-to-outside guy who is a real pest in press and match coverage. Had three pass breakups vs. Ohio State. pic.twitter.com/lHc0td0bC5
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) May 1, 2024