Bills selected Penn State CB Daequan Hardy with the No. 219 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Hardy’s (5’9/179) usefulness on special teams may be what determines his overall NFL future. He’s an undersized player at the cornerback position and will likely stick in the slot as a pro, as he did for much of his college career (60.4 percent slot snaps). Hardy excelled as a punt returner in 2023, returning 17 punts for 248 yards and two touchdowns in his first and only year as a returner. He ran a 4.38 at the combine and tested as the fifth-most athletic cornerback of the class overall. Pro Football Focus credits him with 15 pass breakups over his career along with five interceptions, but he’ll need to prove he can hang with NFL receivers despite his limitations if he hopes to earn playing time at the next level.
