No surprise here as we use the final pick of this mock draft on another defender and another athlete to shore up the defensive backfield. This pick is especially important now that Amik Robertson has chosen to sign with Detroit so we replace one feisty undersized defensive back with another in Daequan Hardy out of Penn State.
Hardy measures in at 5-9 and 179lbs which is obviously shorter than your average cornerback but he makes up for that with elite athleticism. He ran a 4.38 40 at the NFL Combine and tied three others with the highest vertical jump at 42.5 inches. Whatever deficiencies he has in height he makes up for with the ability to leap with even the tallest receivers.
The Pittsburgh native was a shutdown corner the last three seasons and if he was 2-3 inches taller he would be an early round pick. There is nothing he can do about his height but he plays with great physicality and can stick to receivers like glue. He is a bit of a liability in run support because of his size but he can be an excellent gunner right away and can develop into a starting corner if needed.