Daequan Hardy
23-Year-Old
Free Agent
2024 Defense Stats
TCKL
0
SACKS
0.0
INT
0
FF
0
TD
0
Rest-of-Season Projections
Heading to Buffalo
The Bills selected Hardy in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 219th overall.
ANALYSIS
The Bills targeted an interesting project at cornerback with the Hardy selection. Hardy never carved out a starting job at Penn State and will turn 23 in June, but he also played 48 games in Happy Valley. He's small at 5-foot-9 and 179 pounds, meaning he'll work exclusively out of the slot. At the same time, he has 4.38 speed and had a 42.5-inch vertical at the combine. Hardy also had two punt return touchdowns in 2023, which takes the sting out of the Bills losing Deonte Harty this offseason.
The Bills targeted an interesting project at cornerback with the Hardy selection. Hardy never carved out a starting job at Penn State and will turn 23 in June, but he also played 48 games in Happy Valley. He's small at 5-foot-9 and 179 pounds, meaning he'll work exclusively out of the slot. At the same time, he has 4.38 speed and had a 42.5-inch vertical at the combine. Hardy also had two punt return touchdowns in 2023, which takes the sting out of the Bills losing Deonte Harty this offseason.
NFL Stats
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2024 Daequan Hardy Split Stats
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Measurables Review
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How do Daequan Hardy's measurables compare to other cornerbacks?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
Height
5' 9"Weight
179 lbs40-Yard Dash
4.38 secVertical Jump
42.5 inBroad Jump
126 inHand Length
8.13 inArm Length
30.00 in
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Employing Josh Allen keeps the Bills in the mix at the top of the AFC, but the quarterback and company have yet to get past Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. It's Super Bowl or bust again in Buffalo in 2024.
Latest Fantasy Rumors
Pushing for return man job
Per Kyle Silagyi of SI.com, Hardy is making a push to begin the regular season as Buffalo's top punt returner after notching 63 yards on five punt returns in Saturday's 9-3 preseason win over the Steelers.
ANALYSIS
After wide receiver K.J. Hamler returned punts for the Bills in the preseason opener against the Bears, Hardy got his chance in the role Saturday and looked effective, nearly breaking off a couple of long returns. Whichever one of Hardy or Hamler returns punts in the preseason finale against the Panthers will presumably be the favorite to begin the regular season as Buffalo's primary punt returner, but Hardy is likely to make the 53-man roster as a depth cornerback even if the 2024 sixth-round draft pick loses this position battle on special teams.
After wide receiver K.J. Hamler returned punts for the Bills in the preseason opener against the Bears, Hardy got his chance in the role Saturday and looked effective, nearly breaking off a couple of long returns. Whichever one of Hardy or Hamler returns punts in the preseason finale against the Panthers will presumably be the favorite to begin the regular season as Buffalo's primary punt returner, but Hardy is likely to make the 53-man roster as a depth cornerback even if the 2024 sixth-round draft pick loses this position battle on special teams.