Malik Hartford

Ohio State Overview • Malik is in his third season with the Buckeyes and has earned Varsity O letters in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons • He enters the 2025 campaign vying for playing time in the secondary at safety with Ohio State losing three key defensive backs in the 2025 NFL Draft • Has 18 career tackles (nine solo, nine assisted) and three pass break-ups • Has played in 23 games over the past two seasons including 14 during Ohio State's 2024 national championship season • He has played in 256 defensive snaps in his first two years, plus an additional 159 on special teams • Recorded eight tackles - four solo; four assisted - in 2024 with one pass break-up and he had 10 tackles -five solo; five assisted - and had two pass break-ups in 2023 • Has made two starts: in his second collegiate game - vs. Youngstown State - and later in the 2023 season vs. Michigan State • Had four solo tackles against the Spartans for his career high total • Is majoring in marketing and earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2024 and OSU Scholar-Athlete honors in 2023-24 Honors & Awards 2024: Academic All-Big Ten Conference 2023: OSU Scholar-Athlete More on Malik • Malik was a member of the 2023 class of recruits • He enrolled in classes in January 2023 and took part in spring drills • He was a four-star recruit and the No. 4-ranked player in the state of Ohio according to the 247Sports composite • Named the Greater Miami Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 • Selected by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association as the Division I Southwest District Defensive Player of the Year and co-Division I Defensive Player of the Year • The leader of a Lakota West defense that gave up just 10.0 points per game during a 13-1 season this fall • His stat line in 2022 included 43 tackles, two interceptions, four tackles-for-loss five pass breakups • Finished his junior season with 58 tackles, two INTs, a sack and six blocked kicks/punts • Played in the 2023 All-American Bowl in San Antonio on Jan. 7 • Parents are Zainab and Jim Hartford