4. Jay Hardy, DE
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4, 265 pounds
Overall Ranking: 86th
State Ranking: 4th
School: McCallie School (Chattanooga)
There probably isn’t another in-state recruit who has taken a bigger jump in the recruiting rankings since his junior year ended than Jay Hardy. The athletic and versatile defensive lineman was ranked in the 800s overall by late November, but he’s sky-rocketed nearly 700 spots since then and is now a top-100 overall prospect.
Even before he was highly-rated, Tennessee was very interested in Hardy. They’ve made him an important part of their recruiting efforts for a while, and they’ve prioritized him on visits. He’s met with UT AD Phillip Fulmer and is being peer recruited very hard by Vol quarterback commit Harrison Bailey.
Hardy is so wanted by many programs because he’s a hard worker who makes tons of plays on defense. Hardy is a very natural pass rusher who has a lot of solid skills and athleticism that make him stand out on film and at camps.
Tennessee will have plenty of competition for Hardy, as teams like Alabama, LSU, Florida, Virginia Tech, and others are all recruiting him the hardest along with the Vols. But Hardy has already visited UT twice this year and has a strong relationship with Tennessee’s coaches and with the aforementioned Bailey.
Keep an eye on where Hardy visits this summer and how often he returns to Knoxville.
