Penn State Football: Nittany Lions Land Defensive Back Commit

Penn State received its 22nd commitment in the class of 2019 when three-star athlete Daequan Hardy gave his verbal pledge on Tuesday night. Hardy is expected to play defensive back in college, but he was a standout in high school as a wide receiver.

The Nittany Lions hadn’t extended an offer to the three-star prospect until Tuesday, but Penn State co-recruiting coordinator Terry Smith made a late push for Hardy. He attended Penn Hills in Pittsburgh, where he led his high school team to a 16-0 state championship run. 

A nomination for Mr. Pennsylvania football and the winner of the state’s 5A player of the year were just some of the accolades Hardy earned during his decorated high school career.

James Franklin is taking a chance on an underrated prospect in Hardy, whose modest offer list included the likes of Buffalo, Akron, and Toledo, among others. In the past, the current staff has had much success with under-recruited defensive backs. Amani Oruwariye and Grant Haley were both similarly rated to Hardy in 247Sports’ composite rankings.

You can check out Hardy’s impressive highlight reel here.