#175 - Greg Hardy, DE

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Ohh hell yeahh!!

 

Greg Hardy DE Ole Miss

Pass Rush Skills 1 Outstanding combination of size and agility. Instinctive pass rusher. Good anticipation skills and does a great job of setting OTs up with double moves. Really keeps OL off-balance. Good closing burst to the QB. Effective speed to power moves. Uses long arms to keep blockers off his frame. The only knock here is that Hardy lacks elite first-step quickness, although tape from 2006 and 2007 shows a quicker first step than 2008 film when Hardy was battling a lingering foot injury.


Athleticism/Versatility 3 Very good athlete for his size. Smooth when pursuing and when working laterally. Has some experience working as a LDE and RDE, but not fluid enough in hips to cover adequate ground if asked to consistently drop into coverage. A pure DE in a 40 front.


Versus the Run 2 Not as interested in run support as he is rushing the QB. Still, he has good size and power, and generally is effective in this facet of the game. He has strength to lock onto the blocker, he shows great awareness finding the ball in the backfield, and he can shed quickly and pursue the ball carrier.


Instincts/Competitiveness 3 Inconsistent motor. Will pursue backside on occasion (see: 4th quarter TD run by Florida's Percy Harvin in 2008), but not consistently enough. Would like to see the same passion on every snap because he has excellent tools. Plus, he is very instinctive. He finds the ball quickly and shows great awareness versus run and pass.

 

Was benched during 2008 South Carolina game for a lack of effort. Was suspended two games in 2007 for violating team rules. Notoriously inconsistent worker. No off the field issues to our knowledge.

 

Motivation and work ethic are concerns, but in the 6th you can't go wrong.

 

he's not the passion guy that we got in 4, but fair enough. For his ability, I think we can get some things out of him. Let's hope he doesn't get a Kindal Moorehead injury every year to slow him down early.

 

Yup, a 6th round pick you can take a chance on a guy like this.

 

I'm from Mississippi

and have seen him play numerous times. I said a few months ago that he is J Pep jr. His problem is that he is a free spirit-majored in English and Art- and as such has a I'll play when I feel like it attitude. When he is healthy, and motivated, he can absolutely take over a game-as he did two years ago in Gainesville when Ole Miss gave the national champion Florida Gators their only loss of the season. If the Panthers can motivate him, he can be dynamic and almost unblockable with his size and speed. On a down note, he will not play hurt: he could have played the last few games at Ole Miss with a cast on his wrist, but choose no to.

 

Got a little Ricky Williams in him.