How Has Oklahoma Safety Jaydan Hardy Grown Since Freshman Year?

NORMAN — Jaydan Hardy didn’t see the same usage as other defensive freshmen last year, but he still got plenty of experience under his belt.

While cornerback Eli Bowen and defensive lineman Jayden Jackson became starters for the Sooners, Hardy — a defensive back — saw plenty of snaps in his own right, appearing in all 13 games.

Hardy played in all 13 games and showed flashes of brilliance. He intercepted a pass in OU’s season opener against Temple and finished the year with six tackles.

More than anything, Hardy’s freshman campaign taught him about the mentality needed to play high-level college football.

“Just go out here every day and have the mindset,” Hardy said during the spring. “I got to learn a lot from (safety) Billy (Bowman Jr.).”

Hardy’s on-field potential is hard to deny. He was a 4-star prospect out of Lewisville, TX, and was ranked the No. 179 overall prospect in the Class of 2024 by 247Sports. He chose Oklahoma over offers from major programs like Oregon, Tennessee and Texas A&M.

Safety Peyton Bowen said Hardy has one of the highest football IQs on the team.

“Hardy has the most intelligent mind in a football sense,” Bowen said.

That said, Bowen sees plenty of room for Hardy to grow.

“He just needs to get the passion, physicality to lay it on the line,” Bowen said. “Hits, competitiveness… I'm not saying he's not competitive, but just the physicality of wanting to go out there 100 percent every play.”

Throughout the offseason, one of Bowen’s goals has been to coach Hardy. The safety sees Hardy’s potential and knows that he can be a star if he becomes mentally tougher.

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“He gets in his head a little bit too much if one thing goes wrong,” Bowen said. “He just really needs to slow it down, just keep coming day-in and day-out the same guy. All intensity. Just lay it all out there because I know how smart he is. He has the smarts.”

Hardy admitted that his mental game is still a work in progress. But after a year and half of learning from Sooners coach Brent Venables, the defensive back has a better understanding of what it takes to stand out in the SEC.

“Coach BV says it all the time: just reach your highest potential,” Hardy said. “What is your floor? Every day just get to your floor and raise that floor up, because you never know what your ceiling could be. So I just try to use that every day, just be my best version of me. Just help the guys out next to me and like I said, just be the best me at the end of the day.”

For Oklahoma’s defense to be elite, the Sooners need strong play from their safeties.

Bowman is now on the Atlanta Falcons, leaving Robert Spears-Jennings as the only returning starter at free safety. Bowen, who played through injuries in 2024, is slated to start at strong safety.

Hardy is one of a few reserve safeties that Venables said he “loves” entering the 2025 season, along with Reggie Powers III and Michael Boganowski. While Spears-Jennings and Bowen will likely see the most snaps, Venables knows how important depth is at safety.

“I need these new guys or all the guys I’ve been talking about to be able to step into that role,” Venables said at SEC Media Days in Atlanta on July 16. “If we’re going to become the kind of defense that we need to become to win in a league with an unforgiving week in and week out schedule, that’s what it was going to take.”