Former Penn Hills, Penn State CB/returner Daequan Hardy goes to Bills in 6th round

The Buffalo Bills picked a player with elite speed when they drafted Penn Hills graduate and former Penn State cornerback Daequan Hardy in the sixth round (219th overall) on Saturday.

Hardy (5-foot-9, 178 pounds) may be able to contribute to the Bills quicker on special teams than on defense, but he looks like a player who can compete for a job at slot cornerback, too.

After returning two punts for touchdowns against UMass (56 and 68 yards), he became the first player in Penn State history to return multiple punts for touchdowns in a game. Since 2000, Hardy is the 25th FBS player to return two punts for touchdowns in a game and one of two Big Ten players, joining Iowa’s Kevonte Martin-Manley (vs. Western Michigan, 2013).

The 32nd cornerback selected over three days of the NFL Draft, Hardy also placed his name among some iconic Nittany Lions players who returned two punts for touchdowns in a season: Larry Johnson (2001), Bruce Branch (1999), O.J. McDuffie (1991) and Jimmy Cefalo (1977).

But Hardy also opened eyes at cornerback, especially those of ESPN draft analyst Louis Riddick.

“You turn on tape of the Ohio State game,” Riddick said Saturday during the ESPN telecast. “You know how good wide receivers are at Ohio State. He had his best game against them.

“He’s super quick, super instinctive, super competitive. He plays bigger than what he is. He plays with the competitive spirit of a guy who’s 6-foot, 200 pounds. Guys slide for different reasons down the draft board. If I’m sitting here in the sixth round and I’m getting Daequan Hardy, I’m going, ‘I hit the jackpot.’”

Hardy put his athleticism on display at the NFL Combine when he recorded a 42 1/2-inch vertical jump, tied for the best among cornerbacks with Boston College’s Elijah Jones. Hardy also recorded the fifth-best 40-yard dash time (4.38 seconds).

On defense, Hardy recorded 22 tackles (12 solo), including three for a loss and two interceptions last season. He was the Nittany Lions’ nickel back through much of his time at Penn State, appearing in 46 games in four seasons while making five starts. After the season, he was named third-team All-Big Ten.

While at Penn Hills, Hardy returned an interception 100 yards and a kickoff 84 in the 2018 PIAA Class 5A championship game to help the Indians claim their first state title since 1995. He was named the TribLive High School Sports Network Football Player of the Year as a senior. He also earned a spot on the Pennsylvania Big 33 squad.