Ohio State All-America safety Malik Hooker is entering the NFL draft after one sensational season as a starter with the Buckeyes.
Hooker redshirted in his first year at Ohio State and played sparingly in 2015. This season he stepped into the starting lineup and led the Buckeyes in interceptions with seven, including a school-record three returned for touchdowns. He also made 74 tackles, third best on the team, and had 11 passes defended.
Hooker announced his intentions Monday with a post on Twitter. He thanked teachers, coaches and teammates for his growth “both as a football player and as a person.”
He said after talking with his family, “we have decided its best for me to forgo my remaining two years of eligibility and declare for the 2017 NFL draft.”
Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Greg Schiano has compared the 6-foor-2, 205-pound Hooker to former NFL All-Pro safety Ed Reed.
Hooker is the first of several key Buckeyes players who will be making stay-or-go decisions in the next two weeks. Most notably, All-America H-back Curtis Samuel, cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore and Gareon Conley and linebacker Raekwon McMillan could be early round NF draft picks if they give up their remaining eligibility.
Quarterback J.T. Barrett is not considered a top NFL prospect but there has been some speculation about him turning pro instead of returning for a fifth season at Ohio State. After the Buckeyes’ 31-0 loss to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl on Saturday, Barrett indicated that is not likely.
Green skipping Pro Bowl
CINCINNATI (AP) — Bengals receiver A.J. Green expects his injured right hamstring to be fully recovered in a few weeks, but he’s not going to play in the Pro Bowl.
Green severely strained the hamstring on Nov. 20 and didn’t play the rest of the season, even though he felt he was ready. Green practiced without problem and accompanied the team to Houston for a game on Dec. 24, expecting to play, but the front office decided to hold him out. The Bengals (6-9-1) had already been eliminated from playoff contention.
“Coach (Marvin) Lewis’ plan was for me to play,” Green said. “And they came to the decision that I didn’t need to play at all.”
Green said he ran hard during practice leading up to the Houston game and didn’t have an issue, even though a scan of the hamstring indicated it wasn’t completely healed. The front office was concerned about how he would respond to being tackled.
“I pushed it all the way,” Green said. “I don’t feel any kind of pain or fatigue on it. One thing they were worried about was people hanging on me. So that’s the only thing they were worried about.”
Green said the hamstring should be back to normal within a couple of weeks. He was voted into the Pro Bowl for the sixth time, but won’t play in the game.
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