Malik Hooker talks Ohio State commitment with Land-Grant Holy Land

The commitment of New Castle, Pennsylvania ATH Malik Hooker caught plenty of Ohio State recruiting die hards and national analysts alike by surprise Monday evening, but make no mistake about it, this incredible athlete can play.

Though Hooker had mentioned not long ago that Pittsburgh and Ohio State were in his top 2, many considered with much of the chatter for safety prospects (which Ohio State's been recruiting Hooker at) focusing on other prospects that this might not be a name we heard about until closer to National Signing Day. Except of course for the names that mattered most, the ones behind Ohio State's recruiting board and ultimately the coaches (including head coach Urban Meyer) who found themselves on the receiving end of a commitment call from the talented, high ceiling possessing high school star earlier tonight.

After announcing his commitment on Twitter just before 8 p.m. ET Monday evening, Land-Grant Holy Land had the chance to catch up with the newest Buckeye (and the sixteenth overall commitment in Meyer and OSU director of player personnel Mark Pantoni's 2014 class) about his what his commitment was like and what comes next.

What it's like to get the monkey [of the recruiting process] off your back and commit to a school like Ohio State?

It feels great to get a lot of the pressure off and I'm ready to just concentrate of my senior season and play football.

What position has Ohio State been recruiting you at and where do you see yourself lining up for the Buckeyes?

Ohio State's coaches have told me they think I will be playing safety so that's my focus.

So why now? Why'd you go ahead and commit to Ohio State with so much time between now and National Signing Day 2014?

I talked it over with my mom and my coaches and ultimately just felt the time was right. I'm a Buckeye.

How'd the commitment all go down? What was that like?

I just called Coach Meyer and he was excited and ready to have me join the Buckeye family.

Anything you'd like to say to Buckeye Nation and Land-Grant Holy Land's readers?

I would love to thank all the Buckeye fans out there, my family, and I want them to know I'm excited to be a part of BuckeyeNation.