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Instagram: @malik.hartford
Twitter: @malikhartford
TikTok: @malikhartford
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
2023 Ohio State Football Roster
Hartford, Malik
Jersey Number 25
Malik Hartford
- Position:
- Safety
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 194
- Hometown:
- West Chester, Ohio
- Last School:
- Lakota West
- Year:
- Freshman
Bio
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