Ohio State’s Malik Hooker is an inexperienced but highly talented 2017 NFL Draft prospect. He’s someone who could potentially leave school early and come off the board in the 1st round.
Malik Hooker is a long and athletic safety prospect. Ohio State asks him to mainly play centerfield where he has the ability to cover a ton of ground. It’s his overall quickness and closing burst that allows him to make plays from sideline to sideline.
Hooker is a threat to create turnovers thanks to his excellent ball skills. He has naturally strong hands, knows how to time his jumps and track the football. His ability to produce takeaways is something every defensive coach will love.
This is a sound tackler who breaks down and limits missed tackles. His burst is something that allows him to quickly close on the ball carrier.
However, Hooker has issues taking proper angles to the football. He also needs to improve his reads as he tends to hesitate or head in the wrong direction.
His feel for the position is something that extends into his coverage skills. Hooker gets caught looking in the backfield and routinely bits on play action. He doesn’t show a consistent feel for identifying developing routes.
Hooker needs to do a better job playing with balance and keeping a wide base. He has a tendency to play too high which impacts his ability to quickly change direction.
The majority of Hooker’s problems are easily correctable and can be attributed to his lack of experience. This is something NFL evaluators and Hooker himself need to take into account when making his draft decision.
However, the upside and raw athleticism make Hooker a 1st round talent. He may have some growing pains at the next level, but there just aren’t a lot of safety prospects that have his ball skills and talent.
Current Draft Status: 1st Round