INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.—Mecole Hardman is never one to lack confidence, but don’t mistake that for arrogance. When asked who was Georgia’s best wide receiver, Hardman placed himself third on the list after Terry Godwin and Riley Ridley.

Maybe that was because Godwin was sitting across the table from him at the NFL Combine when the question was asked? No, Hardman gave Godwin props and explained that the senior led the wide receiver room, especially when things got tough. “We looked to him for leadership. We leaned on him.”

As for his decision to leave Georgia a year early, Hardman looked to his family.

“I talked to my parents,” Hardman said. “I wanted to get the decision right. I knew around mid- to late-season that I was making a decision to come [out], but I wasn’t for sure until after the game. We started discussing it [with Kirby Smart] after the Sugar Bowl. That’s when everything hit the fan."

The decision came down to what would benefit him more, leaving or staying.

"My production this year was good. I had a good year, it’s hot,” Hardman said. “I know I can add value to any team I'm drafted to. So, I just got it while it’s hot, so I’m heading out.”

Q: What was your best game this past season?

Hardman: “Probably South Carolina, the second game of the season. I had over 100 yards receiving. They used me a lot on screens."

Q: Favorite game of your career?

Hardman: “The SEC Championship in 2017. Just winning it and bringing it back to Athens. It was fun and a memorable game.”

Q: Worst game of your career?

Hardman: “I’d say the Notre Dame game my sophomore year. I dropped a deep ball—I’ll never forget it. I was just not feeling it after that. I could just not get right after it. I was down in a slump. That’s one of those games I wish I could have back."

Q: What was the most difficult thing you had to overcome at Georgia?

Hardman: “Just the transition from defensive back to receiver. I had to show everyone I could play this position. My awareness of schemes, coverages—learning those. Really just how to be a natural receiver, like running routes and knowing how to break here, and the different releases.”

Q: How did Georgia prepare you for the NFL?

Hardman: “The program speaks for itself. The talent Coach Smart brought in made competition in practice just like the game. When the game came, it was easy. Deandre Baker is one of the top corners in this draft. Even Roquan Smith was there my sophomore year. Guys like Lorenzo Carter and J.R. Reed. Seeing those guys makes you prepare for the league. The competition you saw in practice was better than most of the games."

Q: Will the offense at Georgia change with James Coley as the offensive coordinator?

Hardman: “Pretty much the same thing. We are not going to shy away from what we do. We run that ball. I think they are going to give Jake [Fromm] a little more freedom to do things, because he is so smart in what he does. They are going to give him a lot of control of that offense. Coley is going to bring a lot of energy to the offense because of who he is. Practice will probably be pretty fun with him. He is going to bring some juice for sure."

Q: Who are the next wide receivers to step up at Georgia?

Hardman: “Matt Landers. I believe if he gets his head right and gets the playbook down, he’ll have his name called a lot of Saturdays. Of course, J.J. Holloman will be the leader of that room. I expect great things from him. Tyler Simmons and the experienced guys there—hopefully those guys step up to the plate and take over."

Q: Have you met with the Falcons?

Hardman: “I have a formal [interview] with them today.”

Q: Who is Georgia’s biggest rival?

Hardman: “South Carolina. They’re just right there. I wouldn’t really say they are a rival. But it is a game you anticipate, especially when you go to their place. I think the main rivals are Georgia Tech, Auburn, and Tennessee. And then you’ve got Alabama for sure, but you don’t know when you are going to play them.”

Q: What about Florida?

Hardman: “I wish the game was home and home. It’s a rivalry game, but I kind of think the game is coming down a little bit. I think there is more hate with Georgia Tech than with Florida. Because they are in our state. If they win, they say they claim the state, and they haven’t won in like 12 years. And then it’s like, ‘We beat y’all, we own the state.’“

Q: Why a home-and-home series with Florida?

Hardman: “I feel like it would be more personal. Like, if we come to your stadium and beat y’all, now we own this stadium. We have bragging rights for two years at your stadium. I think that rivalry could go from where it’s at to a whole other level. That’s definitely a rivalry, too. I didn’t mean to leave Florida out.”