James Hardy the WR Pro day News

[hendog]

I'd take Hardy with either one of our firsts. Ideally I'd like to take DRC with #22 and Hardy with #28.

 

[JPM]

Bob Sanders has 41" vert? No wonder he plays bigger than his size.

I can't help but think if Vernon Davis was on a real team, he'd be tearing up the league right now either.

or a real QB.

 

[DallasKnight]

Huh?

There aren't many guys 6'5" or taller that can run a sub 4.50 forty.

Exactly. But for a WR, a Low 4 second 40 is desired. What was Moss's 40 time? Now tall is he? I see 4.40 times and below as GREAT times. He's not TG fast, but he has things TG doesn't... like height. I'd definately line him up opposite T.O. and smile.

 

[TheCount]

Exactly. But for a WR, a Low 4 second 40 is desired. What was Moss's 40 time? Now tall is he? I see 4.40 times and below as GREAT times. He's not TG fast, but he has things TG doesn't... like height. I'd definately line him up opposite T.O. and smile.

His point wasn't that Hardy sucks, his point was that the time he ran was very good for his size.

Pretty much anything in the 4.4's is good NFL speed.

 

[BigDInCharlotte]

how do you up your vertical by half of a foot in less then 2 weeks?

Uh, yeah, what he said...I've got a basketball game tonight, so that information could come in handy. Figure I could at least get a couple more inches of vert by tonight.

 

[masomenos]

The concern I have about Hardy is his ability to separate out of his cuts. I know he times well and by all accounts is a good athlete but despite his size and athleticism the defense was still able to deflect 21 passes away from him in 2007. Now some of that may be chalked up to poor QB play, but Indiana's QB Kellen Lewis completed 60% of his passes in '07 while completing less than 55% of the passes targeted at Hardy. To add to that, only 50% of the third down passes to him were converted into first downs.

He's a player who I really want to like, but am on the fence on. He had good games against Penn Sts Justin King and Iowas Charles Godfrey but then he got manhandled by Wisconsin's Jake Ikewguno. I know he's been a TD machine for the past three years, and I love that about him but I don't think he's combined all of his athleticism into a finished product. I imagine that with his quickness he'd be able to get separation if he ran better routes and that's something that would be entirely up to him to improve. I certainly wouldn't be upset if we took Hardy but I'm not 100% sold on him yet.

 

[DallasKnight]

His point wasn't that Hardy sucks, his point was that the time he ran was very good for his size.

Pretty much anything in the 4.4's is good NFL speed.

And that was the point I was making as well. 4.4 is good NFL speed. Not GREAT NFL speed. Sheesh, can we nitpick anymore? heh heh

 

[JerryFan]

What exactly does Devin Thomas have over Hardy that you would beg to take him over Hardy in the 1st?

I'm not sure what the love affair is with the guy all of a sudden. He had decent numbers at the combine (but so did Hardy), but he only had one good year in college.

I'd love Hardy in the first, and I've been pimping him for a while, I think he's one of the few guys in this draft that has true #1 WR potential.



Where did you see his first vert number? He didn't do it at the combine.

I've never wanted Hardy. You can go back and read my posts in the draft board. I don't like his attitude, has had off field issues, and isn't as explosive as Thomas IMO. I really don't want a WR in round 1 to begin with. I'd rather go CB, RB or vise versa.

 

[TheCount]

I've never wanted Hardy. You can go back and read my posts in the draft board. I don't like his attitude, has had off field issues, and isn't as explosive as Thomas IMO. I really don't want a WR in round 1 to begin with. I'd rather go CB, RB or vise versa.

What off field issues did he have? I've been trying to find an article that explained what happened but can't.

I know he's got a no non-sense attitude, which is actually one of the reasons I liked him to begin with. You don't find that a lot at the WR position.

I don't know how Thomas is more explosive than Hardy, do you just mean quicker?

Devin Thomas had a whopping 28" vert at the combine, ran both the cone and shuttle drills SLOWER than Hardy and didn't even bench. About the only thing Devin has over Hardy, in terms of measurables, is .09 seconds in the 40.

We won't even get into college production cause Hardy blows Devin out of the water there as well in terms of both production and experience.

Don't get me wrong, Devin could go on to have a good NFL career, but based on the information the fan's have, I don't see how anyone can say Thomas is better than Hardy.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Uh, yeah, what he said...I've got a basketball game tonight, so that information could come in handy. Figure I could at least get a couple more inches of vert by tonight.

lots of squats and run w/ ankle weights

 

[TheCount]

lots of squats and run w/ ankle weights

This reminds me of high school basketball, me and a two other guys from my highschool team had made the regional "All Star" game and during half time there was a dunk contest.

This kid that couldn't have been more than 5'10" was pulling off these ridiculous dunks (at least ridiculous in high school, I was a junior at the time), so none of us had a shot.

Afterward we asked him how the hell he got his hops, he replies, "I ride my bike a lot." with a completely straight face.

 

[zeromaster]

Somebody make a joke about gaining a couple inches.

Go on, I dare ya...

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Hardy equals Potential with a capital P

 

[Hoofbite]

lots of squats and run w/ ankle weights

But 12 days?

I've always been skeptical of the times that come out of pro days and having a vertical 6 inches greater then what he had less then 2 weeks ago does nothing but reinforce that.

Assuming he'd been working out in preparation for the combine like any other prospect, I don't see how doing ANYTHING would increase a vertical by 6''.

The guy should be in as good of shape as possible.

 

[yimyammer]

I'm no expert, but I've had my eye on Hardy ever since I watched him tear up the supposedly stud corner from Penn State last season. He's big, has good hands and has the basketball experience that surely taught him how to get position on whomever is covering him.

I'll keep an eye on this kid whether we get him or not and I'd be pretty optimistic if we ended up with him.

 

[BehindEnemyLinez]

You guys are arguing combine measurables when the only thing that really matters is what they do ON THE FIELD. I truly have no opinion on either WR since my NCAA football knowledge is minimal but looking at Hardy's numbers he seems to have the POTENTIAL to become good...very good.

 

[peplaw06]

But 12 days?

I've always been skeptical of the times that come out of pro days and having a vertical 6 inches greater then what he had less then 2 weeks ago does nothing but reinforce that.

Assuming he'd been working out in preparation for the combine like any other prospect, I don't see how doing ANYTHING would increase a vertical by 6''.

The guy should be in as good of shape as possible.

Isn't it obvious?

 

[Bob Sacamano]

This reminds me of high school basketball, me and a two other guys from my highschool team had made the regional "All Star" game and during half time there was a dunk contest.

This kid that couldn't have been more than 5'10" was pulling off these ridiculous dunks (at least ridiculous in high school, I was a junior at the time), so none of us had a shot.

Afterward we asked him how the hell he got his hops, he replies, "I ride my bike a lot." with a completely straight face.

I never heard that one, but it makes alot of sense

although I don't envision Lance Armstrong dunking any basketballs

But 12 days?

I've always been skeptical of the times that come out of pro days and having a vertical 6 inches greater then what he had less then 2 weeks ago does nothing but reinforce that.

Assuming he'd been working out in preparation for the combine like any other prospect, I don't see how doing ANYTHING would increase a vertical by 6''.

The guy should be in as good of shape as possible.

oh, I'm not suggesting that is what Hardy did, just those are some of the ways you can improve your vert

I have no idea how he increased his vert

 

[burmafrd]

Its not like he had a faster track or anything for his vertical. He just did it better. He was watched like a hawk for his entire pro day so its not likely he was able to cheat (and how would you, anyway?).

Did some research on him and the incident was almost two years ago with no problems that I could find since. The boards at Indiana seemed to think he was a pretty good guy. So I think the charactor problem was over blown.

He certainly has enough speed to get the job done. Most that saw him think he has very good if not great hands. route running was his biggest weakness but in fairness Indiana is not exactly a great school for WRs.

Overall If we picked him I would be optimistic that we got a good player.

 

[gazmc_06]

Its not like he had a faster track or anything for his vertical. He just did it better. He was watched like a hawk for his entire pro day so its not likely he was able to cheat (and how would you, anyway?).

Did some research on him and the incident was almost two years ago with no problems that I could find since. The boards at Indiana seemed to think he was a pretty good guy. So I think the charactor problem was over blown.

He certainly has enough speed to get the job done. Most that saw him think he has very good if not great hands. route running was his biggest weakness but in fairness Indiana is not exactly a great school for WRs.

Overall If we picked him I would be optimistic that we got a good player.

The incident with his girl and his kid was bad, but he's learned from that and ever since he's been very clean, a good team-mate and a good guy. He was the biggest threat to anybody that played Indiana, his route-running wasn't the best but it wasn't bad either. He is big, strong, fast, has really good hands and can ruun routes well...he will be a very good player for whoever gets him.