Malik Hooker Commits to Ohio State: Buckeyes Land Versatile 4-Star Athlete

Urban Meyer and Ohio State added a valuable addition to the Buckeyes' 2014 recruiting class when athlete Malik Hooker decided to commit.

Hooker is 6'2'', 185 pounds and hails from New Castle, Pa. (New Castle High School). He's a 4-star, according to 247Sports, and a 3-star, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. The 247Sports Composite considers him to be the No. 31 athlete and the No. 8 player from Pennsylvania.

Chris Harlan of TribLive.com reported on the commitment:

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New Castle's Malik Hooker, a multi-sport athlete for the Red Hurricanes, verbally committed Monday to play football for Ohio State. Hooker had more than two dozen scholarship offers and chose the Buckeyes over Pitt, said New Castle football coach Joe Cowart.

The 6-foot-2 senior has played just one season of varsity football, but his leaping ability and athleticism drew the attention of college coaches during a recruiting process that intensified just recently.

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Harlan also reports that Ohio State defensive coordinator Luke Fickell recruited Hooker as a defensive back.

That's good news for the Buckeyes, because Hooker projects nicely there. He's lanky and tall, so he'll be able to match up well with bigger receivers and more athletic tight ends as the passing game continues to evolve.

With that said, the biggest thing you'll notice about Hooker when watching his highlights is that he's extremely aggressive coming up to the line. He gets a quick break out of his backpedal and isn't afraid to fly up to the line, lower his shoulder and make a play.

He'll be able to set the edge against the run and defend the three-step passing game as a cornerback. Ohio State could even play him at safety because of his ability to run the lane and play physical at the line.

Harlan cites his leaping ability and athleticism, which are two traits that could help him as a safety as well.

Whether it is at safety or corner, Hooker has a ton of potential as a defensive back.

Ohio State has 16 commitments and is now ranked No. 6 by the 247Sports team rankings.