Tag: Daniel Hardy

Grading every Rams pick in the 2022 NFL draft

The Rams made eight selections in the 2022 NFL draft and we handed out grades for each prospect they drafted.

Fans of the Los Angeles Rams have grown accustomed to waiting for their beloved team to make a selection in the NFL draft in recent years. The Rams have taken an aggressive approach in trading picks in exchange for proven talent, which resulted in them winning a Super Bowl this past season.

On Friday night, the Rams finally made their first selection of the 2022 NFL draft at pick No. 104. Los Angeles took Logan Bruss out of Wisconsin, an interior offensive lineman that addresses a need on the roster.

While we won’t know if certain picks are a success for years to come, I’ll be handing out grades for each prospect the Rams select in the draft. Each grade is based on the team’s needs, other prospects that were available at the pick, and whether or not the prospect fits the makeup of the current roster.

Rams select Montana State Edge Daniel Hardy with 235th overall pick in 2022 NFL draft

The Rams added their first edge rusher in the 2022 NFL draft in Daniel Hardy out of Montana State in the seventh round.

The Los Angeles Rams entered the 2022 NFL draft with a need at the edge rusher position following the departure of Von Miller in free agency. With the 235th overall pick in the seventh round, the Rams took Daniel Hardy out of Montana State to bolster their pass-rushing unit.

Hardy comes from a small school in Montana State, where he tallied 16.5 sacks and 24.5 tackles for loss in 2021. He finished with the sixth-most sacks and the ninth-most tackles for loss in the FCS this past season, showing his raw ability to find his way into the backfield.

Upon joining the Rams, Hardy joins an interesting edge rusher group that features Leonard Floyd, Terrell Lewis, Chris Garrett, and Justin Hollins. Despite Hardy’s impressive production in 2021, he is going to need time to improve his hand usage and his first-step explosiveness.

The good news for Hardy is that he’ll have talents like Floyd, Aaron Donald, Greg Gaines, and A’Shawn Robinson surrounding him on the defensive front. To conclude his collegiate career, Hardy was an FCS Second-Team All-American and First-Team All-Big Sky selection for his efforts in 2021.

Cardinals bring in freakishly athletic small-school pass rusher for official visit

Daniel Hardy had 16.5 sacks in 2021 and 24.5 tackles for loss for Montana State.

It is the time of official top-30 visits for NFL teams and NFL draft prospects. The Arizona Cardinals are using one of their 30 official visits to host an extremely athletic pass-rushing prospect.

According to The Draft Network’s Justin Melo, the Cardinals will bring in Montana State defensive end Daniel Hardy.

Hardy had eye-popping production last season and his athletic testing will catch your attention.

He had 16.5 sacks and 24.5 tackles for loss.

He is undersized when it comes to traditional edge defenders in the NFL.

However, he matches up similarly with Haason Reddick, whom the Cardinals drafted and who has developed into one of the more productive pass rushers in the league.

Hardy’s size and school likely mean he will not be a Day 1 or even a Day 2 pick. The Cardinals have eight selections in the final two rounds of the draft.

Arizona often uses top-30 visits on late-round picks or guys they would like to sign as undrafted rookies to have a relationship already established.

The Cardinals missed on Reddick early in his career. Perhaps they will see what this kid can do as a pass rusher in the league.

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