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Urban Meyer, Mark Pantoni, and company just received a National Letter of Intent from New Castle (PA) athlete Malik Hooker, making him an official member of the football program. Hooker committed to Ohio State back on July 29, 2013 and hasn't once wavered from that verbal pledge. The 6'2, 185-pound Hooker was rated as a three-star according to the 247Composite and ranked as the 32nd-best athlete in the country while also ranked as the eighth-best prospect overall from the state of Pennsylvania.
Ohio State recruited Hooker as a safety for the class of 2014, and first sent an offer out to him on May 7, 2013. Hooker could also play at cornerback, depending on where the coaching staff wants to place him. Hooker was the 16th commit for Ohio State as a part of the Dream '14 and chose the Buckeyes over offers from the likes of Arizona, Michigan, Penn State, Pittsburgh and West Virginia. He saw the Ohio State campus back in June.
Our Christopher Jason took a look at Hooker's tape and had this to say about his potential:
Hooker will be a fascinating player to watch during spring ball to see where he ends up. He has all the tools to play receiver, safety or corner; he has the height and the ball skills to shine on either side of the ball and it ultimately could be a numbers game with him. Right now, with the receiving corps being somewhat full, I can see Hooker starting off as a cornerback or possibly safety depending how big he gets. He has the ball skills to play anywhere in the defensive backfield, and it all depends on where the coaching staff sees him being most effective.
Check out Hooker's abilities for yourself in his senior high school highlights below:
Miles Joseph contributed to this report.