‘He is 6-6, 260 pounds and can move like a deer.’ Meet 4-star recruit Zavion Hardy

As a kid, Zavion Hardy was introduced to the game of football by his grandfather. Since then, Hardy has blossomed into one of the most highly sought-after recruits in Georgia.

The junior at Tattnall Square Academy said his family had always played football and he knew at an early age it could take him places.

“Ever since I started playing football, it has always been the dream to go to college and play in the big leagues,” Hardy said. “Somebody who pushed me to go farther was my grandad. He got me into football and I’ve been in love with it ever since.”

Hardy is a 4-star recruit according to 247 sports. He has offers from Georgia, Florida State, South Carolina, USC, Michigan and multiple other Power 5 teams.

His motivation to push further in football comes from the person who got him started in the sport. Hardy’s grandfather passed away, but their connection through football lives on.

“I always remember what he used to tell me and I use it as motivation,” Hardy said. “Every Friday, I do it for him because without him, I wouldn’t be where I am.”

Head coach John Garrett Abernathy arrived at Tattnall at the start of the 2020 season after a stint at Jones County under Justin Rogers and Mike Chastain.

Before that, he was a player on the Mercer football team as part of the program restart in 2013.

Abernathy has been around a lot of Division I talent, but said that Hardy is a special player and a special person. He is a nightmare for defensive coordinators: combination of size and speed set him apart.

“A lot of people don’t want to run at him because he is 6-6, 260 pounds and can move like a deer,” Abernathy said. “He makes everything easier. When you’ve got a guy that can do what he does and is as physically imposing as he is... he makes things easier for us.”

The recruiting process

Abernathy’s experience as a Division I football player has been valuable as he helps Hardy through the recruiting process. Though he admits that Hardy’s recruitment is on a much larger scale, the key components of what to look for in a program remain the same.

In addition to Abernathy, there are multiple coaches on the staff who have coached at the collegiate level and are also providing guidance. The goal is to help Hardy navigate a process that Abernathy can be scary at times for a player.

One of the biggest challenges is sorting through it all to figure out where Hardy best fits at the college level, both schematically within the defense as well as on-campus and with the particular coaching staff.

Hardy must also remain focused on helping guide the Trojans’ defense and not get too caught up in the recruiting process. Abernathy said Hardy has done a good job of balancing the two.

“We try to tell him all the time to focus on the task at hand and let what we do on the field take care of everything else,” Abernathy said. “I think he has done a good job of ignoring the noise, so to speak. He definitely has his top three or four that he wants to look more in-depth at. But in my opinion, he has done a great job of focusing on this season.”

One of the best in the nation

Hardy is the sixth-ranked high school player in Georgia and is ranked inside the Top 75 nationally, according to 247 Sports.

“He has a body that has a lot of room for growth,” Abernathy said. “When they see him, they see all sorts of possibilities with him… When I am talking to these coaches, they are looking at the potential that he has. That has to be one thing that sets him apart from others. And his ability to make plays. He is fun to watch that is for sure.”

While Hardy is excited about the prospect of playing for a Division I university, he has his sights set on the NFL.

Hardy is a Saints fan who sees shades of NFL greats like Myles Garrett, Jadeveon Clowney and Chase Young in his own game. Off the field, Hardy says he is a cool guy who enjoys hanging out with his friends and playing Madden. He said he is the best Madden player on the team by far.

Abernathy describes him as a lot of fun to be around and a bit of a comedian that leaves his teammates and coaches laughing.

Tattnall Square Academy has seen its share of great athletes like former Georgia Tech standout and NFL wide receiver DeAndre Smelter. Hardy has a chance to etch his name alongside some of the best to ever don the Tattnall uniform.

Abernathy said he is one of the best he has ever coached and the name Zavion Hardy will be one he and his coaching staff talk about for a long time.

“He is the type of guy who can play anywhere he wants to play. He is the type of guy who has the physical size ability to go as far in this game as he wants to,” Abernathy said. “He is one of those guys that we will talk about forever.”

This story was originally published October 28, 2021 at 2:13 PM.