Ohio State '23 OH SAF (FR) - Malik Hartford

Rivals.com
24/7Sports

ATHLETE
6'3'' | 175 LBS
CLASS OF 2023

 

Check out Full Junior Season Highlights by Malik Hartford on @hudl https://t.co/wkr9rYs5FB #hudl

— OSUBasketballJunkie (@ScarletBuckeye2) January 22, 2022

 

After a great unofficial visit I’m blessed to receive an offer from THE Ohio State University‼️@CoachKee @Coach_Eliano @ryandaytime @CoachJimKnowles pic.twitter.com/HP1Xjg7NKD

— Malik Hartford🤴🏽 (@MalikHartford) January 22, 2022

 

Most likely a safety at the next level.......

 

Some #stuff on Malik Hartford and his ‘surreal’ Buckeyes offer https://t.co/k1L6iYImPY

— Jeremy Birmingham (@Birm) January 22, 2022

 

New #OhioState in-state offer "definitely excited" about offer from the #Buckeyes. VIP https://t.co/OoBo43eOVE

— Bill Kurelic (@Bill_Kurelic) January 22, 2022

 

I’m extremely blessed to receive an offer from The University of Notre Dame @Marcus_Freeman1 @Coach_OLeary @CoachMickens pic.twitter.com/lNdg0czgAn

— Malik Hartford🤴🏽 (@MalikHartford) January 24, 2022

 

After a great phone call with @coachclink I’m excited to receive an offer from the University of Michigan!! @CoachJim4UM @CoachTomBolden pic.twitter.com/JDEZEbhbdp

— Malik Hartford🤴🏽 (@MalikHartford) January 24, 2022

 

OSU OFFERS HARTFORD
Hoffler wasn’t the only prospect who made an unofficial visit to Columbus this weekend. Four-star 2023 safety Malik Hartford made the trek to Ohio State from Cincinnati on Saturday and left campus with a scholarship offer.

Hartford is ranked as the 217th-best prospect in the 2023 cycle, per 247Sports’ composite rankings. While the Buckeyes are relatively new to Hartford’s recruitment, new safeties coach Perry Eliano was Hartford’s lead recruiter at Cincinnati, which is one of the 22 Division I schools that have already offered the 6-foot-3, 175-pound standout. Other schools on his offer sheet include Notre Dame, Indiana, Iowa State, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan State, Purdue, Tennessee and West Virginia.

Hartford plays at Lakota West High School, where he was teammates with recently enrolled Ohio State cornerback Jyaire Brown and offensive lineman signee Tegra Tshabola. Hartford made 58 tackles and recorded two interceptions for Lakota West last season. He becomes the sixth player from Ohio in the 2023 class to pick up an Ohio State offer, joining commits Will Smith Jr. and Joshua Padilla as well as Luke Montgomery, Austin Siereveld and Brenan Vernon (a Notre Dame commit).

 

• Recent Ohio State four-star athlete offer Malik Hartford has seen his recruitment explode as of late. Hartford received an offer from the Buckeyes over the weekend following an unofficial visit. On Monday, he received offers from the likes of Michigan, Notre Dame and Tennessee.

 

Bout time I start narrowing it down👀 @bondedits15 pic.twitter.com/zxlY1yt79s

— Malik Hartford🤴🏽 (@MalikHartford) January 25, 2022

 

West Chester (Ohio) Lakota West 2023 S Malik Hartford was invited to the All-American Bowl last night.

He talks about that honor, his plans for spring/summer and some of the coaches he has good relationships with. (VIP) https://t.co/Q2qmk44LWt pic.twitter.com/sBeSReYEL9

— Allen Trieu (@AllenTrieu) February 4, 2022

 

MALIK HARTFORD
A four-star safety prospect from Ohio, Hartford might have flown under the radar a bit after playing with Ohio State signees Jyaire Brown and Tegra Tshabola at Lakota West last season. Not anymore.

After taking an unofficial visit to Columbus on Jan. 22, Hartford was offered by Ohio State and has been in constant communication with the Buckeyes since. He now appears to be OSU's biggest uncommitted in-state target not named Luke Montgomery. While the Buckeyes are relatively new to Hartford’s recruitment, new safeties coach Perry Eliano was Hartford’s lead recruiter at Cincinnati. A decision doesn't appear imminent, with Hartford likely to let the recruiting process play out and make a decision around the summer, but he’s become one of Ohio State’s top priorities.

 

Committed. #AGTG #crownme @ErikRichardsUSA @AABonNBC pic.twitter.com/6ev0eMXg7i

— Malik Hartford🤴🏽 (@MalikHartford) February 7, 2022

 

HARTFORD TO VISIT OSU IN SPRING
One of Ohio State’s fastest-rising safety targets plans to make another trip to Columbus in the near future.

Four-star Ohio safety Malik Hartford just took an unofficial visit to OSU on Jan. 22 and received an offer from the Buckeyes that same day. Since then, Ohio State has been in constant contact with the 6-foot-3, 175-pound defensive back.

According to 247Sports, Hartford was in touch with Ohio State as recently as National Signing Day, getting phone calls from Ryan Day, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and safeties coach Perry Eliano. Eliano had already started building a relationship with Hartford when he was the cornerbacks coach with Cincinnati for the past two years. Hartford hopes to make a college decision before the start of his senior year.

“I’m making pretty good progress on that,” Hartford told 247Sports. “I know I want to commit sometime during the summer. I’ll be periodically dropping my top schools. I’ll probably drop a top 7, a top 3, something like that. Ohio State will make my first cut. I’ll get back there sometime in the spring.”

Hartford plays for Lakota West High School, where he was teammates with recently enrolled Ohio State cornerback Jyaire Brown and offensive lineman signee Tegra Tshabola. Hartford, who made 58 tackles and recorded two interceptions for Lakota West last season, is ranked as the 215th-best player in the 2023 class.

 

Top 7.. Top 3🔜 #crownme pic.twitter.com/pRX2rUPpkc

— Malik Hartford🤴🏽 (@MalikHartford) February 11, 2022

 

Four-star 2023 Ohio safety Malik Hartford dropped a top seven school list on Friday consisting of Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Kentucky and West Virginia – and indicated that he’ll soon be narrowing his recruitment even further.

Hartford visited Ohio State in late January, the same weekend he received his official scholarship offer from the Buckeyes. The 6-foot-3, 175-pound prospect plans to visit Columbus again sometime this spring. Hartford plays for Lakota West High School, where he was teammates with recently enrolled Ohio State cornerback Jyaire Brown and offensive line signee Tegra Tshabola.

Hartford, who made 58 tackles and two interceptions for Lakota West last season, is ranked as the 215th-best player in the 2023 class, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.

 

2023 West Chester (Ohio) Lakota West defensive back Malik Hartford is down to seven schools, he announced this morning. #Buckeyes, #BBN, #NotreDame among the schools still in the mix.

MORE: https://t.co/w42m1v5KOa pic.twitter.com/lTGRxIPr4z

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) February 11, 2022

 

Extremely blessed to receive an offer from The University of Alabama #RollTide @CoachTomBolden @LakotaWestFB @AlabamaFTBL pic.twitter.com/j5BCuUHHCK

— Malik Hartford🤴🏽 (@MalikHartford) March 9, 2022