Atlanta Falcons: Justin Hardy Poised For Breakout Season
By Matt LaPan
The Atlanta Falcons passing attack came down to just two players in 2015 – Matt Ryan and Julio Jones. Jones was tied for the league lead in receptions (136) and led the NFL in receiving yards (1,871) en route to an All-Pro season.
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Jones hauled in 63 more receptions than the Falcons’ second leading receiver, Devonta Freeman. That pales in comparison to his lead over the next wide receiver as Jones pulled in 93 more receptions than Roddy White’s 43. The Falcons had an obvious need to fill and addressed it by adding Muhammed Sanu in free agency.
They have another receiver who is poised for a breakout season, one who was on the roster in 2015, Justin Hardy.
The former fourth round selection was active in just nine games in 2015, catching only 21 passes for 194 yards. What makes Hardy special was his college production.
Hardy is the NCAA receptions king, hauling in 387 total receptions and more than 110 in each of his final two seasons at East Carolina.
While Hardy will not be the primary receiving option in Atlanta, he does have a nice role carved out as the underneath option for Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Hardy averaged 11.7 yards per catch in college, his last major offensive load. This fits right into the Roddy White role that averaged 11.8 yards per catch in 2015. Hardy’s crisp routes and sure hands make him a solid fit to fill that role in 2016.
It also fits quite well with Matt Ryan’s 11.2 yards per completion average throughout his career. While the Falcons offense has been far more big-play focused, the underneath option has been missing. This is where Hardy can carve out his role across the middle of the field, allowing Jones and Sanu to be the deep threats and home run hitters in the Atlanta offense.
Hardy has been known throughout his career as a technician in his routes. That showed in limited opportunities in 2015, but should shine when facing slot cornerbacks in 2016. He is quick in and out of his breaks, does not tip his routes and explodes out of his cuts. This will get him open consistently against some of the slot cornerbacks he will face in the NFC South.
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Hardy will likely not post gaudy numbers as the third option, but he is set to break out as one of the more reliable receivers in the NFC South and even the NFL. Expect Hardy to push for a season of 50-plus catches and multiple touchdowns. His role should be defined in 2016, but will continue to be a pivotal one in the Falcons future.