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'05 WV TE Derek Hardman (Eastern Kentucky signee)

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tOSU TE prospect Derek Hardman

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article on Hardman

RIPLEY -- As a freshman, Derek Hardman joined Roane County High's track team in an effort to stay in shape while awaiting August football practice.

Now a 6-foot-6, 250-pound junior, Hardman not only is drawing attention from major college football schools, he's also among the best Class AA shot putters in the state.

"Football is my favorite," said Hardman, while awaiting his turn at the discus Tuesday at the Ripley Relays track meet. "I tried track during my freshman year and I liked it. Once I got into it, I found out I was decent and just kept with it. And it still keeps me in shape for football."

Hardman, who has broken Roane County's school shot put record of around 47 feet nine times in the past year and half, finished fifth in the shot during last year's state meet. But he has the longest throw in AA this season at 50 feet, 9 1/4 inches.

That throw also re-established the school record yet again.

"He keeps lengthening the school record," said Roane track coach Mark Bossert. "Last year he broke it, I think, six times and he's broken it three time so far this year. He's just a good all-around athlete and a good all-around kid.

"Derek is a smart kid and he's a good team leader. He has good character and he really helps the team out in more ways than just the points he brings."

However, the most surprising thing about Hardman is his spot on the school's shuttle hurdle relay team, which also qualified for last year's state meet.

"He runs surprising well for how big he is," said Bossert. "Of the four on our shuttle hurdle squad, he might be the second or third fastest kid."

But while track is Hardman's first priority this spring, it's football that's in his heart and athletic future.

Hardman, a promising prospect at tight end, offensive tackle or defensive end, hauled in 29 passes last fall for 281 yards and a score from his tight end position, while racking up 99 tackles and 11 sacks as a defensive end.

For good measure, Hardman also added three blocked punts.

"I think I'm pretty much a tackle that can run," said the soft-spoken, straight-A student. "I'm not sure what I'll play in college. I like everything about football. I like blocking, catching and I like to play defense, too."

To date, Hardman has received interest from West Virginia, Marshall, Ohio State, Purdue and Tennessee, as well as Ivy League schools Princeton and Harvard.

As for his post-track season plans, Hardman is scheduled to burn up the highways attending various football camps in several surrounding states.

Also among Hardman's top priorities this summer will be improving his bench press, which currently reps out at 235 pounds.

He also wants to improve his 40-yard sprint time, which is in the 4.9 range.

"This summer I plan on doing a lot of lifting and going to as many football camps as I can," said Hardman, who plans on attending camps at West Virginia, Marshall and Tennessee. "It should be a fun but busy summer."
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In a recent Insiders update he said he would camp at tOSU- hopefully this remains true- Obviously we are in the market for a TE.
 
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Here's a new Bucknuts article on Derek Hardman:

Gary Housteau on Derek Hardman (6/30/04)

He seems to understand that an OSU offer is probably a long shot, but he has the right attitude about it:

"I've always liked Ohio State, but really I don't know. For me it's really wide open," he said. "I guess it's up to them if they like me but I'm going to do the best that I can to get them to like me."
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I wish that more kids would feel the same way; recruiting is a tough business, and I'm sure that the coaches don't like passing on kids who grew up as fans of the Buckeyes.
 
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I was thinking the same thing when I read his update today. Does not appear to have Big Ten TE speed. I'm no recruiter though, I could be wrong. Sounds like a great kid and someone who would be a perfect 'Tressel recruit'. Would definitely fit the mold of OSU blocking TE, but you have to at least show that you are a threat in formation or defenses can scheme elsewhere.
 
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http://www.newsandsentinel.com/sports/story/0824202004_spt02_HardmanSought.asp

Tuesday, August 24, 2004

Wanted man: Recruiters seek services of Hardman

By RON JOHNSTON

SPENCER - Derek Hardman is a wanted football player.
Roane County High School's 6-foot-6, 253-pound senior tight end has already been offered a full-ride scholarship to play football for James Madison University, an NCAA Division I-AA school in Harrisonburg, Va.

James Madison wouldn't be a bad choice for Hardman, because it's relatively close to his hometown of Spencer.

It's certainly lot closer, than say, Michigan State, Oklahoma State and several of the Ivy League institutions all of whom would like to have Hardman join their program.

But Hardman is not going to commit to a college just yet.

Not until all the dust, so to speak, settles from the 2004 campaign.

Basically, he's going to just wait and see what happens.

''Derek is just a good football player,'' said Tom Hardman, Derek's father and Raider coach. ''And I don't mind saying so, even if he is my son.''

Thing is, there are a lot of college recruiters and coaches who would agree whole-heartedly with the elder Hardman.

The youngest but biggest of three boys in the Hardman family, Derek's only been playing football since he was in the seventh grade.

Last season, as a junior, Hardman was a Class AA first team all-state honoree with 31 receptions for 276 yards and one touchdown.

More importantly, he helped Roane compile a 6-4 record, after an 0-10 mark the previous year when his father took over the program.

The Raiders nearly clinched the school's first playoff appearance, but came up just short.

Hardman is without question what they say in the college trade, ''a blue-chip prospect.''

If he wasn't, he wouldn't be inundated with letters, like he has been, every week from just about every Division I school in the nation.

Along with James Madison, Hardman has been visited by coaches from Cincinnati, Eastern Kentucky, Pittsburgh, West Virginia University and Marshall University, just to name but a few of the many.

WVU and Marshall each has to be a very tempting place for Hardman to play.

After all, both are state schools with a winning tradition.

In fact, Hardman was one of 14 Raiders to go to a camp at WVU.

But then he interrupted his stay there for a one-day visit to the University of Pittsburgh so he could be evaluated by the Panthers' football staff.

Then, there's Ohio State University, the 2002 national champions.

The Buckeyes have kept up a steady flow of correspondence with Hardman but haven't offered him a scholarship - yet.

If OSU does...whew...it's going to be awfully tough for Hardman to turn it down, because his uncle Von was a punter for the 1961 Woody Hayes-coached Buckeyes.

Decisions. Decisions. Decisions.

But they can wait.

Hardman, in due time, will ultimately make one - but he's not going to be rushed.

First and foremost, there's a senior football season to be played, and from the looks of it, Roane has a real, legitimate shot of making it to postseason play in 2004.

''Our goal is to get there, and then we'll see what happens,'' Tom Hardman said.

Whether the Raiders get there or not, though, there's still going to be a line-up of college recruiters waiting for Derek Hardman to sign a letter-of-intent.

Who's going to be that fortunate school?

Well, let's just follow Hardman's example and wait and see what happens.
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OSU legacy Derek Hardman will play football for the Eastern Kentucky Colonels:

EKUSports.com - 02/02/05

Derek Hardman, OT, 6-6, 250, Spencer, WV/Roane County HS
A four-year letterman and two-time All state performer who finished his career with 294 total tackles and 14 QB sacks … On offense, Hardman finished with 87 pass receptions for an average of 10.4 yards per catch with seven touchdowns … On the hardwood, Hardman is averaging 16 points and 17 rebounds per game … Became the state AA shot put champion with a throw of 54’ ... He runs the 110-meter high hurdles and was an All-State AA performer in track … An active member in the National Honor society and has an overall 4.0 grade point average … Chose EKU over James Madison, Villanova, and Columbia University.
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