With the 107th pick of the 2015 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons draft wide receiver Justin Hardy out of East Carolina University. The Falcons were definitely looking to bolster their receiving corps in the draft. Hardy brings to the Falcons a great pair of hands and a nastiness in run blocking. I think he will benefit from playing with Roddy White as they have similar skill sets.
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At ECU, Hardy was a primary target for QB Shane Carden. 70 percent of Justin’s receptions during his senior year went for first downs. Matt Ryan should be thrilled to have another valuable asset at wide receiver.
Todd McShay considers Hardy to be similar to Jarvis Landry. The versatility of Hardy’s game at wide receiver can really be utilized in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Shanahan will be able to run the ball on sweep patterns to Hardy’s side of the field with confidence as his run blocking ability should translate well to the professional level. It appears that Hardy is an excellent fit in the new Atlanta offense.
The beautiful part of this pick is that Hardy can gradually be integrated into the passing game. Julio Jones and Roddy White are perennial Pro Bowlers. Devin Hester proved that he can still be effective in the passing game with last year’s success with the Falcons. Leonard Hankerson looks to build on a promising start with the Falcons after a few seasons with the Washington Redskins.
Justin Hardy’s ability to keep the chains moving allowed his ECU QB Shane Carden to merit Heisman consideration throughout the season for the Pirates. I like this pick and it seems to be very well thought out for what Atlanta wishes to include in their new look passing game under first year OC Kyle Shanahan.