NFL draft pro player comparisons are often a silly pursuit. Prospects have enough pressure on their shoulders already without having to deal with expectations crafted from a comparison to a big-name NFL starter.
Alas, Ohio State’s Malik Hooker once again has his name alongside Ed Reed in headlines.
On paper, it’s not too hard to see why. Hooker is inexperienced, but his combination of range and athleticism has gifted him with some of the best coverage skills we’ve seen enter the NFL in a long time. This has Ohio State’s defensive coordinator Greg Schiano making the comparison, per Fox Sports’ Bruce Feldman:
“Ed played all four years,” Schiano said. “I think Ed started all four years. Malik only started 13 games. He’s just behind in experience. But he’s bigger than Ed. Both their strengths is range. It’s instinctual but it’s also physical. I told him after about three weeks on the job and working with him, I said you remind me of a guy I coached a long time ago. You have a long way to go but you have those abilities. Sure enough, last year he did some amazing things.”
Normally this comparison wouldn’t be an overly big deal, but if there is a person on the planet worth of having the comparison taken seriously, it’s Schiano.
After all, Schiano coached up Reed himself in college, as well as other successful future pros.
Hooker has a hard time getting away from Jamal Adams in this draft class, though that might not be the case if he had started as many games as his rival from LSU. In the right system and given the proper time to develop, Hooker could easily end up as the best defensive back from the 2017 class, if not the best to enter the pros in a long time.
About Chris Roling
Chris is an Ohio University E.W. Scripps School of Journalism graduate and associate editor here at TSD. He also covers breaking news and the NFL at Bleacher Report and resides in Athens (OH) with his wife and two dogs.
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