Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1519242
3 8 M A Y 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M DAEQUAN HARDY CB | 5-9 | 182 Projection: Fifth-/Sixth-Round Pick Hardy came to Penn State as a last- minute addition to the team's 2019 re- cruiting class. He was a two-star pros- pect according to one online recruiting service and didn't elicit much fanfare when he joined the Nittany Lions' de- fensive back corps. Five years later, he's leaving PSU as a legitimate Day 3 draft prospect. Coach James Franklin took a chance on the 5-foot-9 cornerback after a spectacular performance in the PIAA Class 5A championship game as a se- nior. Hardy scored 4 touchdowns in his final high school game, including a 100-yard interception return and an 84-yard kickoff return to lift Penn Hills to a state title. At Penn State, Hardy served as the team's primary nickel cornerback for three seasons and last year emerged as a dynamic punt-return specialist, too. He averaged 14.6 yards on 17 attempts after taking over at midseason as the team's primary punt returner. Hardy showcased his speed and elu- siveness on 56- and 68-yard touch- down returns against Massachusetts, and that's what will surely intrigue NFL teams. He posted a 4.38-second 40-yard time at the NFL Combine and surpassed 20 mph (via GPS tracking) at the Shrine Bowl. Eric Galko, the Shrine Bowl's direc- tor of football operations, speculated that the Pittsburgh native is "probably even faster" than his time at the com- bine would suggest. "Hardy will step into the NFL as a ready-to-compete nickel and immedi- ate challenge for a starting return job," Galko noted. NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein is more skeptical, contending that Hardy "will need to play with better route an- ticipation in man [coverage] to make up for his average acceleration and recovery when beaten." Zierlein also notes that "handling the physicality of the NFL could be a steep challenge for him" but points out that Hardy's spe- cial teams experience could help him secure a spot on an NFL roster. Nothing would please Hardy more than to find a role in the kicking game. Part of the reason he came back to PSU in 2023 was for the opportunity to show NFL teams that he could be an impact player on special teams as well as defense. "I've been in Coach Franklin's ear for four years trying to get a chance," he said last December. "I'm happy he finally let me go out there and show- case it." — Matt Herb Measurements ARMS 30 INCHES HANDS 8 ⅛ INCHES 40 4.38 SECONDS BENCH 15 REPS VERTICAL 42 ½ INCHES BROAD 10 FEET, 6 INCHES 3-CONE 7.17 SECONDS 20-YARD SHUTTLE 4.17 SECONDS Thirteen members of Penn State's 2023 football team took part in the team's Pro Day workouts in March, and it's highly unlikely that all of them will be chosen in the upcoming NFL Draft. Since the current seven-round format was instituted by the league in 1994, the largest PSU draft contingent was in 1996 when 10 Nittany Lions were selected. Still, this year's group of draftees could match or exceed that record, and it will almost certainly be the biggest of the James Franklin era. The Lions saw eight of their players drafted in 2022 to set the benchmark for the current coaching regime. In addition to the players mentioned in the preceding pages, there are four other former Nittany Lions who took part in either NFL Combine or Pro Day activities: interior offensive lineman Hunter Nourzad, safety Keaton Ellis, running back Trey Potts and placekicker Alex Felkins. Nourzad showed great versatility throughout his college career. He played offensive tackle at Cornell before coming to Penn State in 2022 and starting 11 games at guard in his first season in State College. He moved to center last year and was a stalwart for the Nittany Lions, starting all 13 games and winning second-team All-Big Ten honors. The 6-foot-3, 319-pounder was slowed by a leg injury leading up to the draft. He was invited to the NFL Combine and only participated in the bench press, performing 27 reps. Nourzad didn't work out at Penn State's Pro Day, but he was recently listed as a potential late-round pick by ESPN analyst Matt Miller. Ellis made 20 starts at Penn State, though he ceded his first-team spot to then-sophomore Kevin Winston Jr. in 2023. The 5-11, 185-pounder had a strong showing at Pro Day, turning in a 4.43-second 40-yard time and a 4.35 shuttle. Potts made the most of limited opportunities as Penn State's third running back last season after transferring from Minnesota, totaling 155 yards on 25 carries (6.2 yards per carry). The 5-9, 202-pounder backed up Mohamed Ibrahim for much of his tenure with the Gophers and was behind then-soph- omores Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen at Penn State. As a result, he's got a relatively slender résumé. Still, he's likely shown enough athleticism to earn a free agent opportunity. Felkins was impressive in his only season at PSU after transferring from Columbia. He hit 19 of 24 field goals, with 8 of his makes coming from 40 yards and beyond. Felkins came to Penn State hoping to use his lone season of Power Five football as a springboard to the pros. Placekickers are rarely drafted, so if Felkins is going to earn a spot on an NFL roster this summer, it will likely be as a free agent. — Matt Herb Other Nittany Lion NFL Hopefuls