Tribal Chief Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Straight from the ECU websiteA legitimate national awards candidate who currently ranks as one of the premier pass catchers and punt returners at the FBS level ... A member of the 2014 Paul Hornung, Maxwell and Biletnikoff Award Watch Lists ... An All-America selection (third-team) as an all-purpose back by Phil Steele's College Football Preview Magazine ... Also chosen to the Preseason All-American Athletic Conference (first-team receiver, second-team punt returner) squad by the same publication ... Included on Athlon Sports' Preseason All-AAC squads (first-team receiver and as a specialist) ... A two-time First-Team All-Conference USA selection who established ECU single-season records for most receptions (114) and reception yardage (1,284) a year ago, while already owning the school career mark for reception yards (3,047) and touchdown catches (25) ... Needs just three receptions to surpass Dwayne Harris (268/2007-10) for Pirate career supremacy in that category as well ... Nationally, needs 84 catches to own the NCAA FBS career record currently held by Oklahoma's Ryan Broyles (349/2008-11) ... One of only three returning FBS receivers who caught 100-plus passes last year (Duke's Jamison Crowder, Marshall's Tommy Shuler) ... Among current active receivers, currently ranks first in pass receptions (266) and reception yards (3,047) ... Also stands first nationally among active players with a reception (two or more) streak that spans 36-straight games - dating back to his ECU debut in 2011 (South Carolina) ... Has posted nine double-digit career reception games (2/2011, 2/2012, 5/2013), nine 100-yard reception yard games (5/2012, 4/2013), hauled down at least one TD pass in 24 of 36 games and is the only receiver in school history with multiple 1,000-yard receiving seasons ... Securely has possession of ECU's top "Y" (inside) receiver position for the fourth-straight year and should again serve as the Pirates' primary punt return specialist in 2014 ... An electric multi-purpose receiver and returner who seemingly provides a spark at the most opportune and strategic times ... Could platoon at times with 6-foot-6 tight end Bryce Williams in different situational alignments, especially on third down or inside the redzone, or move to an outside receiving role ... Recorded a unit-high three receptions for 57 yards during the first spring scrimmage March 31 before adding three more for 59 yards a week later in the second intra-squad contest ... Made two grabs for 21 yards during the Purple-Gold Game (April 12) ... Turned in some of the team's top times in agility drill testing, including a 6.88 clip in the three cone/L drill ... Can bench press 285 pounds, back squat 360 and power clean 280, while producing jumps 36.5" (vertical) and 9'4" (broad) ... Initially earned roster position as a walk-on prior to the start of fall camp in 2010 and rapid development almost prompted removal of redshirt during true rookie campaign.2013: Started all 13 games and set single-season school records for receptions (114) and receiving yards (1,284) ... Tallied 1,509 all-purpose yards (1,284 receiving, 225 punt return) to lead squad ... A First-Team All-Conference USA choice as a receiver ... Also was a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy ... Ranked first in career receptions (266) and second in receptions per game (7.4) among all active players at close of season ... From a single-season standpoint, stood fourth nationally in receptions per game (8.8 rpg), 15th in receiving yards, 17th in receiving yards per game (98.8 ypg) and 23rd in punt return average (11.2 ypr) ... Brought back 20 punts for 225 yards with a career-long 66-yarder against Southern Miss ... Also completed a pair of passes in three attempts for 55 yards (35/FIU, 20 for TD/NC State) ... Scored a team-best eight receiving TDs, which included six against C-USA opponents ... Recorded scores against Florida Atlantic, North Carolina, Middle Tennessee, Southern Miss, FIU, Tulsa, UAB and NC State ... Authored four 100-yard receiving games (191/Old Dominion, 230/Tulane, 126/Southern Miss and 136/FIU) ... Posted five double-digit receiving contests (16/ODU, 17/Tulane, 10/USM, 10/Tulsa, 10/Marshall) ... His single-game school-record 17 receptions at Tulane marked the second-most by a FBS receiver in 2013, while his 230 yards ranked ninth ... Effort vs. Green Wave bested his previous record set against ODU in the season opener (16-191) ... Tallied 105 punt return yards against Southern Miss, the most by a Pirate punt returner since 2000 ... Recorded 72 plays that went for 10 or more yards (62 receiving, 10/punt return) ... Seventy-one of 114 receptions resulted in an ECU first down or touchdown ... Recorded 150 or more all-purpose yards four times (226/ODU, 257/Tulane, 231/USM, 153/FIU) ... Led C-USA in receptions and receiving yards, while ranking third in punt return average, fourth in all-purpose yards and tied for 10th in scoring TDs ... Set school career TD catch mark (23rd) with a five-yarder in the third quarter against Tulsa before adding two more the remainder of the year ... Established single-season receiving yards record at NC State with an 11-yard catch in the third quarter ... Became the first player in Conference USA history to have 16-plus catches in a contest three times, while his 17-reception total at Tulane matched the third-highest total in league history ... Earned one C-USA Offensive Player-of-the-Week citation (10-126, 1 TD vs. Southern Miss) ... Also garnered team offensive MVP honors during the program's annual post-season banquet.2012: A First-Team All-Conference USA selection as a receiver and second-team choice as punt returner ... Became just the fourth receiver in school history to reach 1,000 reception yards (1,105) in a single-season, which ranks third all-time at ECU ... Also stood among the school's all-time single-season leaders in receiving TDs (2nd/11) and receptions (3rd/88) ... Caught a then-single-game program-record 16 passes in the regular season finale against Marshall ... Stood among the national FBS leaders in receptions per game (21st/6.77 rpg), total receiving yards (23rd/1,105) and reception yards per game (31st/85.0 ypg) ... Hauled in a career-best two aerial TDs against Memphis ... Caught at least one TD in 10 of 13 games ... Netted a season-best 171 reception yards - fourth-most in ECU single-game in history - against the Herd ... Recorded 100-yard receiving games against South Carolina (111), UCF (119), Memphis (137), UAB (132) and Marshall (171) ... Posted double-digit receptions twice (11/UTEP, 16/MAR) ... Caught at least four passes in all 13 games ... Had 41 plays that went for 10 or more yards (36/receiving, 5/PR) ... Recorded the longest TD reception of the season (76 vs. UCF) ... Returned 20 punts for 175 yards (8.8 avg) ... Registered the longest punt return of the season with a 43-yarder vs. ASU ... Also had a 41-yard punt bring-back against Houston ... Closed year with a five-catch, 59-yard and one-TD effort vs. UL-Lafayette in the R+L Carriers Bowl New Orleans Bowl ... Five of 11 TD receptions covered 20or more yards ... Led all receivers with 12 "big plays" (20-plus yards) ... Stood second on the team in scoring (66 points) and first in all-purpose yards (1,280) ... Rated among C-USA leaders in receptions per game (2nd), 100-yard receiving games (2nd), receiving yards per game (3rd), all-purpose yards (7th) and scoring TDs (8th) ... Selected as the program's team MVP at the Pirates' annual awards banquet.2011: A breakout performer during first season on the Pirates' active roster, earning Conference USA All-Freshman Team honors ... Also named to the Bleacher Report's Honorable Mention All-Freshman Team and Phil Steele Magazine's All-Freshman Second Team ... Selected as the program's offensive MVP by coaching staff during the program's end-of-the-season awards banquet ... Experienced action in 10 games, making eight starts ... Did not play against Navy and Tulane due to a right knee injury suffered in practice ... Part of the initial offensive lineup against South Carolina, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Houston, Memphis, UTEP, UCF and Marshall ... Ended the campaign owning East Carolina freshman records with 64 receptions and 658 yards, surpassing Jason Nichols' 42 catches and 450 yards in 1994 ... 64 catches are the sixth most recorded in a season in program history ... Tied Larry Shannon (1994) for the Pirates' rookie mark with six touchdown grabs ... Finished the year ranked fourth in Conference USA in receptions per game (6.4) and eighth in receiving yards per game (65.8) ... Also stood 25th nationally in catches per contest and was one of just three freshmen to finish the campaign ranked in the top 75 ... ECU's top receiver in Conference USA games, making 40 grabs for 463 yards ... Finished second on the squad in non-league contests, hauling in 24 passes for 195 yards ... Trailed only kicker Michael Barbour in scoring during league tilts, totaling 30 points on an ECU-high five touchdowns ... Averaged a team second-best 11.6 yards per catch during C-USA action ... Ended the year ranked third on the squad with nine plays of 20 or more yards, including a team-best three touchdowns for 20 or more yards ... Paced the squad with nine receptions covering 20 or more yards ... Registered 33 catches during five games inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium and 20 during four road tilts ... For the season, led all receivers with 99 passes intended and was Dominique Davis' favorite target with 97 passes intended (19.6 percent of all Davis' throws) ... Paced the squad with 37 receiving first downs ... Did the most damage on second down, hauling in 27 passes for 16 first downs and four scores ... Targeted 10 times on second-and-short and second-and-middle distances and made all 10 receptions, gaining nine first downs ... On fourth down, caught all four passes intended, turning three receptions into first downs and the other into a touchdown ... Never reached 100 yards receiving in a game, but collected 90 or more three times, twice during the first three weeks of the season with 91 and 90-yard efforts against South Carolina and UAB, respectively ... During the season finale at Marshall, set career high with 92 yards receiving ... Made three receptions for 40 yards in the fourth quarter, including two grabs that netted 28 yards during the Pirates' 15-play, 82-yard touchdown march to tie the game with 14 second remaining ... Hauled in a seven-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter against UCF, giving him scores in four of last five games played ... Hauled in a team-leading seven balls for 64 yards, including a three-yard touchdown in the third quarter, versus Southern Miss ... Completed a 51-yard pass to Andrew Bodenheimer on a halfback pass in the first quarter at Memphis ... In the third frame versus the Tigers, caught third career touchdown pass on a personal-long 58-yard reception ... Made five receptions in both halves against North Carolina, but held a 43-30 edge in yards during the opening half ... Scored first career touchdown, and ECU's initial TD of the season, during the opening quarter versus South Carolina with a 25-yard grab ... Finished the first frame against the Gamecocks with three receptions for 46 yards and the score ... Caught a career-high 11 passes in debut against South Carolina. 2010: Served as a valuable member of the scout teams and redshirted during initial season ... Used as a scout quarterback on occasion to emulate scrambling, run-oriented or option-based signal callers.High School: A two-year letterman and senior team captain for coach Kevin Yost at West Craven High School ... Compiled 2,500 passing yards and 35 touchdowns in 2009 to earn all-area, all-conference and offensive player-of-the-year honors ... Added 1,500 rushing yards and 10 scores for the Eagles ... Made 80 receptions for 1,001 yards and nine TDs during junior season ... Named to the all-area and all-conference squads in 2008 ... Picked two additional letters as a shooting and point guard on the basketball floor and another in track as a high jumper.Personal: Full name is Justin Hardy ... Born December 18, 1991 at Washington, N.C. ... Son of the late Sam and Tara Hardy ... Brother Bryan, a quarterback, played collegiate football at South Carolina State before transferring to Fayetteville State ... Earned a bachelor's degree in sport studies during ECU's Spring Commencement Exercises in May, 2014 and is currently pursuing a second undergraduate degree in industrial technology ... Earned inclusion on ECU's Honor Roll (3.0 grade point average or higher) for academic work during back-to-back semesters (spring and fall of 2011) ... Lists the Pirate fan base as the best thing about playing football at East Carolina ... Says Jerry Rice is his favorite all-time NFL player ... Hobbies include basketball and music. 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DarrellShropshire Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Reminds me so much of Antonio Brown. He was a later round pick than Hardy as well. Hardy had best hands in the draft besides Amari. Real long arms for his height. Big hands, that are very soft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WOR Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Reminds me so much of Antonio Brown. He was a later round pick than Hardy as well. Hardy had best hands in the draft besides Amari. Real long arms for his height. Big hands, that are very soft.His highlight catches rival ODBs. Especially one in the end zone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribal Chief Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share Posted May 3, 2015 Reminds me so much of Antonio Brown. He was a later round pick than Hardy as well. Hardy had best hands in the draft besides Amari. Real long arms for his height. Big hands, that are very soft.can't tell that to most lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribal Chief Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share Posted May 3, 2015 Bump just for the **** of it. To the ones against the pick, don't be afraid to read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheldon Cooper Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 There are so many things that must go right in such a short amount of time, its exhausting when its all for naught due to dropped passes that should be caught. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LookAboutFalcon Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I love the pick but can we please stop comparing him to Antonio Brown a top 5 wr and ODB a superstar in the making. Esp. Brown I've seen Hardy compared to him in at least 10 of threads.Justin Hardy is going to be Justin Hardy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WOR Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I love the pick but can we please stop comparing him to Antonio Brown a top 5 wr and ODB a superstar in the making. Esp. Brown I've seen Hardy compared to him in at least 10 of threads.Justin Hardy is going to be Justin Hardy.Well wouldn't that make for a very boring thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bring It Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Uh, can you give us some information on him ?? LOLSeriously.....what a pick !! Matty Ice, get ready......for Hardy !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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