Justin Hardy

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Not to be confused with Justin Hardee.

Justin Hardy
refer to caption
Hardy with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2023
No. 2 – Ottawa Redblacks
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1991-12-18) December 18, 1991 (age 32)
Washington, North Carolina, U.S.
Height:5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:192 lb (87 kg)
Career information
High school:West Craven
(Vanceboro, North Carolina)
College:East Carolina (2010–2014)
NFL draft:2015 / Round: 4 / Pick: 107
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status:Active
CFL status:American
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:95
Receiving yards:946
Receiving touchdowns:9
Career CFL statistics
Targets:189
Receptions:129
Receiving yards:1425
Receiving touchdowns:3
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR · CFL.ca

Justin Hardy (born December 18, 1991) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL draft. He played college football at East Carolina. Hardy was the NCAA all-time reception leader until his former teammate Zay Jones overtook his record during the 2016 season.

Early years[edit]

Hardy attended West Craven High School in Vanceboro, North Carolina. As a senior on the football team, he played quarterback after previously being a wide receiver.[1] That season, he passed for 2,500 yards and had 35 passing touchdowns. Hardy also picked two additional letters as a shooting and point guard in basketball and another in track as a high jumper (best of 6-4 or 1.93m).[2]

College career[edit]

Hardy was redshirted as a freshman at East Carolina University in 2010, a season in which he walked on.[3] After earning a scholarship in spring 2011,[3] he started eight of 10 games in his redshirt freshman season in 2011, recording a school freshman record 64 receptions for 658 yards and six touchdowns.[4] As a sophomore in 2012 Hardy was an All-Conference USA first-team selection after recording 88 receptions for 1,105 yards and 11 touchdowns.[5] As a junior in 2013, Hardy was again first-team All-Conference USA after setting school records for receptions (114) and receiving yards (1,284) in a season.[6] During the first game of his senior season in 2014, he set East Carolina's record for career receptions, passing Dwayne Harris' 268.[7] On November 22, 2014, against Tulane, Hardy became the NCAA's all-time leading receptions leader, passing Ryan Broyles' 349.[8][9] On December 8, 2014, Hardy was named the winner of that season's Burlsworth Trophy, awarded annually to the most outstanding player who began his college career as a walk-on.[3] For the season, Hardy had 121 receptions for 1,494 yards and 10 touchdowns.[10]

Hardy finished his collegiate career with 387 receptions for 4,541 yards and 35 touchdowns.[11]

Statistics[edit]

East Carolina Pirates
Season GP Receiving Rushing Punt Return
Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD
2011 10 64 658 10.3 6 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0 0
2012 13 88 1,105 12.6 11 0 0 0.0 0 20 175 8.8 0
2013 13 114 1,284 11.3 8 0 0 0.0 0 20 225 11.3 0
2014 13 121 1,494 12.3 10 1 7 7.0 1 23 95 4.1 0
Career[12] 49 387 4,541 11.7 35 1 7 7.0 1 63 495 7.9 0

Professional career[edit]

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
5 ft 10+1⁄4 in
(1.78 m) 		192 lb
(87 kg) 		32+1⁄8 in
(0.82 m) 		10 in
(0.25 m)		 4.56 s 1.57 s 2.62 s 4.21 s 6.63 s 36.5 in
(0.93 m)		 9 ft 6 in
(2.90 m)		 11 reps
All values from NFL Combine[13][14]

Atlanta Falcons[edit]

Hardy was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round (107th overall) in the 2015 NFL draft.[15] In his rookie season, Hardy played in nine games, catching 21 passes for 194 yards.[16] In Week 2 of the 2016 season, against the Oakland Raiders, Hardy scored his first career touchdown when he caught a deflected pass from Matt Ryan in the end zone.[17] In the 2016 season, he had 21 receptions for 203 yards and four touchdowns.[18] Hardy and the Falcons reached Super Bowl LI, where they faced the New England Patriots. In the Super Bowl, Hardy had two kickoff returns for 17 total yards as the Falcons fell in a 34–28 overtime defeat.[19] In the 2017 season, Hardy recorded 20 receptions for 221 yards and three touchdowns.[20] On March 21, 2019, Hardy re-signed with the Falcons.[21] During the 2019 season, Hardy caught 19 passes for 195 yards.

Chicago Bears[edit]

On July 27, 2021, Hardy signed with the Chicago Bears.[22] He was released on August 17, 2021.[23]

Ottawa Redblacks[edit]

On March 18, 2022, Hardy signed with the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL).[24]

In 2023, Hardy enjoyed a break-out season with the Redblacks, catching 85 passes for 1,009 yards 3 touchdowns, and was selected as a CFL East Division All-Star. In February 2024, his contract with the Redblacks was extended. [25]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "DeCock: Justin Hardy embodies The ECU Way". Archived from the original on December 29, 2014. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  2. ^ "NCHSAA 3A East Regional - Results (Raw)".
  3. ^ a b c "Justin Hardy Named 2014 Burlsworth Trophy Winner" (Press release). ECU Athletics. December 8, 2014. Archived from the original on December 9, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  4. ^ "East Carolina sophomore Justin Hardy turning heads at receiver".
  5. ^ "ECU receiver Justin Hardy rises through record book".
  6. ^ Thompson, Adam (April 12, 2014). "Football: ECU's Hardy closes final spring". New Bern Sun Journal. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  7. ^ "East Carolina's Justin Hardy pulls off hat trick".
  8. ^ "ECU's Hardy sets FBS career catches mark". November 22, 2014.
  9. ^ "ECU WR Justin Hardy breaks FBS career receiving record".
  10. ^ "Justin Hardy 2014 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  11. ^ "Justin Hardy Career Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  12. ^ "Justin Hardy". www.sports-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  13. ^ "Justin Hardy Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  14. ^ "2015 NFL Draft Scout Justin Hardy College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  15. ^ McClure, Vaughn (May 2, 2015). "Total breakdown: Falcons draft WR Justin Hardy in fourth round". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  16. ^ Justin Hardy. pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  17. ^ McClure, Vaughn. Falcons work through their red zone struggles on road in win over Raiders. ESPN.com September 18, 2016. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  18. ^ "Justin Hardy 2016 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  19. ^ "Super Bowl LI - New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons - February 5th, 2017". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  20. ^ "Justin Hardy 2017 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  21. ^ McFadden, Will (March 21, 2019). "Falcons agree to terms with Justin Hardy". AtlantaFalcons.com.
  22. ^ "Bears sign wide outs Justin Hardy and Jon'Vea Johnson, waive two". Windy City Gridiron. SB Nation. July 27, 2021.
  23. ^ Desai, Aalap (August 17, 2021). "Bears Roster Cuts Update; Roster Trim Down Deadlines". On Tap Sports Net. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  24. ^ "Ex-Falcons WR Hardy among three Americans signed by Redblacks - TSN.ca". TSN. The Canadian Press. March 18, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  25. ^ "REDBLACKS extend East Division All-Star Justin Hardy - CFL.ca". cfl.ca. February 5, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2024.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Justin Hardy.
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