Defensive Back/Wide Receiver Standout Will Hardy Commits To Virginia Football

By: Chris Horne |

The University of Virginia football program beat out several Atlantic Coast Conference foes, including in-state Georgia Tech, for the commitment of 6’2”, 185-pound junior defensive back prospect Will Hardy, who revealed his college decision via Twitter on Monday (April 19).

Hardy, who attends Greater Atlanta Christian (Norcross, GA), considered scholarship offers from Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, Virginia and Wake Forest from the ACC. Other offers included Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, Liberty, Memphis, Southern Miss and Troy, and he received an opportunity to play for Dartmouth of the Ivy League as well.

Virginia was the first school to offer a scholarship, coming through on January 14 this year.

Hardy, who is being recruited by Virginia as a defensive back, plays safety and wide receiver for his father, Tim, who serves as GAC’s Athletic Director and head varsity football coach. Coach Hardy and his son led the Spartans (12-1) to the 2020 Class 3A state semifinals, where they fell by one point in overtime to an Oconee County squad that featured UVA incoming first-year linebacker West Weeks.

247Sports and Rivals rank Hardy as a 3-star prospect. 247Sports has the two-way standout as the No. 72 junior in Georgia and the No. 82 “athlete” in the class of 2022, while Rivals ranks him as the No. 88 junior in the Peach State.

Will comes from a football family. His brother, Jackson, is concluding his freshman year at the University of Richmond, where he plays quarterback. Meanwhile, according to RichmondSpiders.com, Tim was an All-American quarterback at Wheaton College, Will’s grandfather (Tom Nash Jr.) was an All-American offensive lineman at Georgia, great grandfather Tom Nash Sr. was an All-American at Georgia and All-Pro with the Green Bay Packers, and great-great grandfather (Reid Nash) played at Mercer in 1892.

Virginia Football’s Class of 2022

#HOOS22 is now back up to three commitments following Rodney Hill’s recent de-commit. Hill, a standout wide receiver prospect out of Georgia, reopened his recruitment briefly before committing to Florida State.

– Karson Gay, Tight End, 6’6”, 225 pounds, Boyd Buchanan (Chattanooga, TN)
– Will Hardy, Defensive Back, 6’2”, 185 pounds, Greater Atlanta Christian (Norcross, GA)
– Trey McDonald, Linebacker, 6’4”, 225 pounds, Baylor (Chattanooga, TN)