The Buffaloes just added a key piece to their secondary - and it’s not just about depth. Former Oklahoma safety Jaydan Hardy is heading to Boulder, bringing with him two years of Power 4 experience, a high football IQ, and multiple years of eligibility. This isn’t a “wait and see” type of addition - Hardy’s tape, numbers, and trajectory suggest he’s ready to compete right away.
At 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, Hardy played in 26 games for the Sooners over two seasons. While he wasn’t a full-time starter, he made the most of his opportunities, logging 221 defensive snaps and a whopping 408 plays on special teams. That’s the kind of workload that shows trust from a coaching staff - and the kind of versatility that makes him a valuable asset in multiple phases of the game.
Defensively, the numbers tell a compelling story. Hardy recorded 17 tackles, a pass breakup, and a forced fumble.
But where he really stood out was in coverage. According to Pro Football Focus, he was targeted 10 times and allowed just 97 yards - no touchdowns, two interceptions.
That’s lockdown production in limited reps, and it speaks to his instincts and discipline on the back end.
Inside the Oklahoma program, Hardy earned a reputation as one of the smartest players in the safeties room. Coaches and teammates consistently pointed to his football IQ - the kind that allows a player to anticipate, react, and make plays even when the reps are limited. That mental edge started to show in his sophomore season, when the game began to slow down for him and he carved out a larger defensive role.
One moment that stood out: Hardy was responsible for Oklahoma’s first forced turnover of the season in Week 6 - a much-needed spark for a defense that went the first four games without a takeaway. That play didn’t just show up on the stat sheet; it showed up in the film room and in the trust he earned from Brent Venables and the Sooners’ defensive staff.
By the end of the season, Hardy had worked his way up to the fourth spot in Oklahoma’s safety rotation. He played behind All-SEC safety Peyton Bowen and was also in the mix with Michael Boganowski, another talented young defensive back. With Bowen returning and Boganowski set to take on a larger role, Hardy’s path to a starting job in Norman was going to be a tough one - not because he lacked talent, but because of the logjam in front of him.
Now, he gets a fresh start in Boulder - and a real chance to make an impact.
Hardy’s resume goes back to his high school days at Lewisville High School in north Dallas, where he was a four-star recruit, ranked No. 30 in the state of Texas by 247Sports. He was named his district’s co-MVP and earned Under Armour All-American honors.
His recruitment was a who’s who of college football powerhouses: Alabama, LSU, Texas, USC, Oregon, Penn State - 22 Power 4 offers in total. That kind of attention doesn’t come by accident.
Hardy had the tools then, and he’s continued to develop them in college.
He also got it done in the classroom, earning a spot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll during his time at Oklahoma - another sign of his commitment and attention to detail.
Now at Colorado, Hardy joins a revamped safeties room that includes returning contributor Ben Finneseth, plus transfers Randon Fontenette (Vanderbilt), Naeten Mitchell (New Mexico State), Boo Carter (Tennessee), and Jah Jah Boyd (Indiana), along with two incoming 2026 prep signees in Braylon Edwards and Alexander Ward. It’s a group that blends experience, upside, and competition - and Hardy fits right in.
He’s the kind of player who could start at a lot of programs. He’s already shown he can contribute in multiple roles, and he’s hungry for more. With his combination of intelligence, versatility, and physicality, Hardy has a real shot to carve out a major role in Colorado’s defense - and he’s only just getting started.