There’s something about LA Rams rookie OLB Daniel Hardy

[ROD-BOT]

There’s something about LA Rams rookie OLB Daniel Hardy

Some players have that intrigue, that unquantifiable bit of success. It's unexplainable confidence, a swagger of a player whose maturity seems to be far ...

ramblinfan.com

There’s something about LA Rams rookie OLB Daniel Hardy​

Some players have that intrigue, that unquantifiable bit of success. It’s unexplainable confidence, a swagger of a player whose maturity seems to be far greater than the number of years on this earth or in his position should possess. That quality is not often found in rookies. But it seems to be present in LA Rams rookie outside linebacker Daniel Hardy.

No, I’m not talking about his workout routine in the pool. By now you’ve probably read a half dozen stories on the subject, and seen the video a dozen or more times. But in the rare chance that you have not yet seen Hardy jump out of a pool to stand poolside, here it is again:


View: https://twitter.com/dhardy44/status/1541914785662455808?s=21&t=UU3fvcbGb-HfbmK0_btPFA


Okay, obligatory workout video of an LA Rams rookie embedded? Check.

My eyes were lured to focus upon another type of workout, a more traditional workout for NFL outside linebackers who train to improve their jump out of the blocks and work on ridiculous hard pivots at the line of scrimmage designed to keep offensive linemen on their heels.

Daniel Hardy may be an NFL Rookie, but he makes this look so easy. He got some juice in his jets, and he is generating all that thrust and speed out of the blocks while remaining in complete balance. That’s rather impressive.


View: https://twitter.com/dlinecoached/status/1541900804835008512?s=21&t=UF2LLgxA4JdlJvKwEXWEDA


And to think that he was drafted in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft with the 235th overall pick.

It is difficult to understand how the LA Rams were able to locate such a promising young man in the seventh round of the draft. One factor could be the simple fact that he hails from a small collegiate football program. Another factor could be the fact that he is 6-foot-2, a less than the optimal height for the prototypical NFL edge rusher. In fact, his draft profile states: Lacks desired size and strength at (the) point of attack. That is almost verbatim from the draft profile of Aaron Donald. So no worries there.

He was projected to be selected anywhere from Round 5 or later, so in terms of where the Rams selected him, he was good value.

In terms of raw athleticism? He is a home run. He is raw in experience, technique, and refinement. But in terms of what he can deliver after he is coached up? Well, let’s just say that he will only be limited by the way he applies himself.


View: https://twitter.com/mathbomb/status/1520525883978747905?s=21&t=GIDjcUK32aFT29aVTAel-A


The LA Rams appear to be embracing their strategy of selecting coachable prospects with extremely high upside and relying upon their positional coaches to get them there. If Hardy ends up anywhere close to his potential, the Rams will be set at the position for years to come.

 

[So Ram]

Newcomer Update: Daniel Hardy

Continuing our offseason series on players new to the Rams roster in 2022, theRams.com examines outside linebacker Daniel Hardy.

www.therams.com

 

[Jacobarch]

Love these feel good articles about young rooks but let's see how it translates to the field

 

[Selassie I]

London Fletcher was too short too... 5' 10"

 

[thirteen28]

London Fletcher was too short too... 5' 10"

Remember when AD was too small to be an effective interior D lineman?

Good times, good times.

 

[Merlin]

I like the approach. Les has taken shots at small school guys with some rush skills in two consecutive drafts. Low chance of success but maybe he hits on one of them.

I also like the athleticism and I think Hardy has a chance to stick. Hoping we get a good long look at both him and Garrett in preseason. IMO Garrett was a little more undeveloped in the strength dept, just going off of the college allstar game he attended where the OTs just crushed down on him when he was into their pads. He kind of gets engulfed. Hardy hopefully will be able to be in a rotation in his rookie season, but if not well keep drafting these types late and at some point you'll hit.

Lastly and btw if you look at the best late round edge types taken in NFL history it seems going after high motor and production is the way to go. My memory is bad granted but guys like Greene, Mecklenberg, Allen, etc all tend to be relentless types whose effectiveness was overlooked. Deacon Jones was a 14th round pick. Hardy comes from that special teams pool and worked his way into the rush role but once he got there the production was top notch. He just needs to get his technique right in his rush moves with a nice complement that OTs can't anticipate.

 

[dang]

I like the approach. Les has taken shots at small school guys with some rush skills in two consecutive drafts. Low chance of success but maybe he hits on one of them.

I also like the athleticism and I think Hardy has a chance to stick. Hoping we get a good long look at both him and Garrett in preseason. IMO Garrett was a little more undeveloped in the strength dept, just going off of the college allstar game he attended where the OTs just crushed down on him when he was into their pads. He kind of gets engulfed. Hardy hopefully will be able to be in a rotation in his rookie season, but if not well keep drafting these types late and at some point you'll hit.

Lastly and btw if you look at the best late round edge types taken in NFL history it seems going after high motor and production is the way to go. My memory is bad granted but guys like Greene, Mecklenberg, Allen, etc all tend to be relentless types whose effectiveness was overlooked. Deacon Jones was a 14th round pick. Hardy comes from that special teams pool and worked his way into the rush role but once he got there the production was top notch. He just needs to get his technique right in his rush moves with a nice complement that OTs can't anticipate.

Charles Haley from little know James Madison was drafted in 4th round. More middle round but what a find for the Cowpoops.

 

[sloramfan]

i thought charles haley was drafted by the 49's...

go rams

slo

 

[Merlin]

Charles Haley from little know James Madison was drafted in 4th round.

Yes and I seem to recall his workout being subpar. Can't recall much more wrt him given the shitty fucking teams he played for.

 

[BonifayRam]

I like the approach. Les has taken shots at small school guys with some rush skills in two consecutive drafts. Low chance of success but maybe he hits on one of them.

I also like the athleticism and I think Hardy has a chance to stick. Hoping we get a good long look at both him and Garrett in preseason. IMO Garrett was a little more undeveloped in the strength dept, just going off of the college allstar game he attended where the OTs just crushed down on him when he was into their pads. He kind of gets engulfed. Hardy hopefully will be able to be in a rotation in his rookie season, but if not well keep drafting these types late and at some point you'll hit.

Lastly and btw if you look at the best late round edge types taken in NFL history it seems going after high motor and production is the way to go. My memory is bad granted but guys like Greene, Mecklenberg, Allen, etc all tend to be relentless types whose effectiveness was overlooked. Deacon Jones was a 14th round pick. Hardy comes from that special teams pool and worked his way into the rush role but once he got there the production was top notch. He just needs to get his technique right in his rush moves with a nice complement that OTs can't anticipate.

Going up against a 6-8 330-plus pound mountain of a man like RT Havenstein should have made Chris Garrett fully realize his need to add power & strength to his game after his rookie season. CG might be a predominant right-side ER going up against those usually less powerful but quick & lengthy LT's.

I like that Snead has drafted these tweeners (Daniel Hardy/CG) late in his last two drafts. I hope he continues this pattern in the future too. Having the undersized Aaron Donald working with them each & every day is also a great plus for these two undersized ER's.

I have never understood the 5th rd selection of the 43 DE Ernest Brown...what are your thoughts on that?

This MR53 is likely to have both of these former 7th rd selections ER's assigned to it when the regular season begins.

 

[dang]

i thought charles haley was drafted by the 49's...

go rams

slo

You are correct. Drafted by 69ers. Before going to the Cowpoops. Then finishing with 69ers.

 

[Memento]

I'm a fan of Hardy - and Chris Garrett, for that matter - and I think both could surprise in a good way.

 

[Pupped]

Shaq Barrett has a similar profile and was a UDFA as well. There's always a chance.
Garrett seems to have great instincts and feel for the game and Hardy is an absolute freak athlete.

Hopefully, at least one of them will show out this year.

 

[Merlin]

Going up against a 6-8 330-plus pound mountain of a man like RT Havenstein should have made Chris Garrett fully realize his need to add power & strength to his game after his rookie season. CG might be a predominant right-side ER going up against those usually less powerful but quick & lengthy LT's.

I like that Snead has drafted these tweeners (Daniel Hardy/CG) late in his last two drafts. I hope he continues this pattern in the future too. Having the undersized Aaron Donald working with them each & every day is also a great plus for these two undersized ER's.

I have never understood the 5th rd selection of the 43 DE Ernest Brown...what are your thoughts on that?

This MR53 is likely to have both of these former 7th rd selections ER's assigned to it when the regular season begins.

Re: E Brown no idea where they projected him, he just seems too heavy footed to play OLB and too light in the pants to hold up on the interior. Maybe they saw him as a 5T idk can't hit on them all I guess.

 

[Memento]

Re: E Brown no idea where they projected him, he just seems too heavy footed to play OLB and too light in the pants to hold up on the interior. Maybe they saw him as a 5T idk can't hit on them all I guess.

They - and myself, admittedly - saw him as a Morgan Fox-like pass rusher. That's probably his best fit.

 

[BonifayRam]

They - and myself, admittedly - saw him as a Morgan Fox-like pass rusher. That's probably his best fit.

I have read much on this defender Brayden Thomas, again he is undersized for a 34D lineman & does not have the quickness for what is needed @ OLB'er in a 34 D but he is a player. He has a lot of what Morgan Fox had when he arrived. Like Fox, he might be a good fit behind AD @ the 3-technique as a relief.

Long limbs with broad shoulders and big hands.
Power rusher with very big motor.
Effective @ setting the edge from interior and edge alignments.

You & I should keep an eye on him in preseason and hopefully TC reports.

 

[oldnotdead]

I've loved the Hardy pick since it was made. IMO he has what it takes to be something special. He's got great athleticism, but most of all he has the mindset and work ethic to be something special. I can see him breaking into the rotation next year. All his flaws are things that can be corrected with good coaching and perhaps some mentorship. He's got two really good models in Floyd and AD. I'm wondering if they saw something in him in OTAs that has given them pause regarding a bookend edge. They could already have one in Hardy. I see him getting snaps this season. If he flashes as I expect then I see him entering into the rotation next year.

I see him as having better potential than Morgan Fox. It took Fox a number of years to emerge. I don't think it will take Hardy that long. I like Chris Garrett but he's going to be a backup for most if not all of his career. Hardy has the makings of a starter. In my opinion, it's a matter of how long it will take him to develop. I don't think it's going to take that long.

 

[Memento]

I have read much on this defender Brayden Thomas, again he is undersized for a 34D lineman & does not have the quickness for what is needed @ OLB'er in a 34 D but he is a player. He has a lot of what Morgan Fox had when he arrived. Like Fox, he might be a good fit behind AD @ the 3-technique as a relief.

Long limbs with broad shoulders and big hands.
Power rusher with very big motor.
Effective @ setting the edge from interior and edge alignments.

You & I should keep an eye on him in preseason and hopefully TC reports.

Thought it was Keir Thomas who had the 4-3 body? Keir's from FSU; Brayden is from NDS. Keir's 6'2", 275 lbs., Brayden is 6'3" 260 lbs. Again, I'd rather give the job to EB4, but it looks like the Browns, the Thomases, Benton Whitley (6'4", 260 lbs.), and Elijah Garcia (6'5", 302 lbs.) look like interesting linemen to replace Copeland, Jonah Williams, and Hoecht eventually.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Garrett was a little more undeveloped in the strength dept, just going off of the college allstar game he attended where the OTs just crushed down on him when he was into their pads. He kind of gets engulfed.

Yeah, Garrett was a little “doughy” when he arrived. I wonder how his off-season strength work has gone?

 

[Flint]

Seems like we’ve been searching for a while, with not much draft capital. Fox is still probably the best we’ve had recently, Obo was ok eventually, Garret was the latest small school stud but he hasn’t got much run, and now Hardy seems like he has potential. I would like to see someone with some juice, someone who could cause some problems on their own not just when AD gets triple teamed. Hopefully one of these guys can be it.