Malik Hooker leaving Ohio State Buckeyes to enter NFL Draft

Safety makes announcement on Twitter two days after Fiesta Bowl loss

Ohio State Buckeyes safety Malik Hooker announced Monday he will forego his last two seasons of eligibility to declare himself eligible for the NFL Draft.

Hooker, a redshirt sophomore, from New Castle, Pa., who set an Ohio State record by returning three interceptions for touchdowns in 2016, made his announcement on Twitter.

Hooker played in all 13 games in 2015 as a redshirt freshman and earned a starting job this season. He earned All-American honors and finished the season with seven of the team’s 21 interceptions. He had one interception Saturday in a 31-0 loss to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl.

Ohio State awaits decisions by other players who could decide to leave school early for the NFL, including cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore and Gareon Conley, defensive end Tyquan Lewis, linebacker Raekwon McMillan, linebacker Chris Worley, tight end Marcus Baugh and hybrid back Curtis Samuel.

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