Post-OSU Update: Malik Hooker left Ohio State with two years of eligibility remaining to declare for the 2017 NFL Draft. Hooker was selected with the 15th overall pick (1st round) by Indianapolis. He was a four-year starter with the Colts, but missed considerable time with injury, playing just 36 games. He has played the last three years with the Cowboys and is starting on the 2023 defense. Hooker has over 275 career tackles and 12 interceptions as of this writing. (updated: Dec. 2023)

Major: Sport Industry (2015-16)

Weight: 205 (2015-16), 184 (2014)

2016 Media Guide: Malik Hooker is in his third season with the Buckeyes and he’s on the cusp of earning a starting spot at one safety position … he came through spring drills listed as the team’s No. 1 safety, a position he grabbed and held right from the start as the coaches seek replacements for NFL-bound, two-year starters Vonn Bell and Tyvis Powell.

2015: Hooker played in all 13 games for the 12-1 Buckeyes, totaled 179 plays and earned his first Varsity O letter … was in on 25 plays on defense with a high of 10 plays vs. Rutgers … 20 special teams plays vs. Rutgers and 19 vs. Notre Dame represent his busiest games … credited with 10 tackles on the season, including a personal-best three – all solo stops – vs. Rutgers.

2015 Media Guide: Malik Hooker is in his second season with the Buckeyes … he red-shirted the 2014 season as a true freshman.

High School: Malik Hooker played just two seasons of high school football and was a two-year starter at wide receiver and cornerback for coach Joe Cowart at New Castle H.S. … basketball was his preferred sport – he was a Division I prospect – before he first played football during the 2012 football season … considered a dynamic athlete, Hooker was rated as a four-star prospect by Scout and ESPN and was among the Top 300 players by Scout with a national ranking of No. 258 … 247Sports rates him as its No. 26 athlete while ESPN rated him as its No. 50 athlete … helped New Castle to the WPIAL Class AAA state playoffs in 2013 and to a 7-3 record … named Pennsylvania Football Writers Class AAA all-state and all-Western Pennsylvania as a defensive back as a senior … also named to the WPIAL Elite 11 team as a DB and to the American Family Insurance All-Pennsylvania team as a wide receiver in 2013 … helped New Castle to a 54-2 record on the hardwood as a sophomore and junior and to consecutive WPIAL championships … named to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Fabulous 5 basketball team in 2012-13.

Personal: Is the son of Angela Dennis … younger brother, Marcus, later played for the Buckeyes.