Former Penn State football cornerback Daequan Hardy was drafted No. 219 overall by the Buffalo Bills in the 2024 NFL Draft. Hardy became the seventh Nittany Lion and first Penn State defensive back selected in this year’s draft.

Hardy spent six years with the Nittany Lions, first coming to Happy Valley in 2019. During his true freshman season, Hardy appeared in just two games in his first season, though he played in all nine games during a shortened 2020 season, making 10 tackles, a pass breakup, and a sack.

During his third season with Penn State, Hardy appeared in all 13 games, making one start. After tallying 16 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack, and two interceptions as Penn State’s primary nickel corner, Hardy earned an All-Big Ten honorable mention by Pro Football Focus. Hardy’s fourth season was similar with 13 tackles, a forced fumble, an interception, and four pass breakups.

Hardy gained more notoriety during his fifth season. He appeared in 11 games as a nickel cornerback but attracted more attention as a punt returner, returning two punts for touchdowns against UMass. While he didn’t start the season as the team’s top punt-returning option, Hardy became the first Big Ten player to return two punts for touchdowns in a single game since 2013. On defense, Hardy finished the season with 22 tackles, two interceptions, three tackles for loss, a sack, and seven pass breakups.

Hardy became the fourth Penn Stater rostered on the Bills, joining KJ Hamler, Austin Johnson, DaQuan Jones, and Connor McGovern.