Top-ranked Ohio prospect, Malik Hartford, includes Kentucky among top 7
Kentucky Football has established a clear pipeline between itself and Lakota West High School up in West Chester, OH. Former Wildcats such as George Asafo-Adjei, Mikel Horton, Kyle Meadows, and Kayaune Ross, to name a few, all came to Lexington by way of Lakota West. 4-star defensive back Alex Afari comes from the same program, as well, and he’ll join the team as a freshman this summer.
Led by associate head coach Vince Marrow, UK is looking to keep up its momentum at the Ohio-based school.
Malik Hartford is the latest name to keep an eye on out of Lakota West. Checking in at 6-foot-3, 175 pounds, the class of 2023 safety included Kentucky among his list of top seven schools on Friday morning. UK joins the likes of Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Cincinnati, Notre Dame, and West Virginia. Hartford will soon drop a top three before making a final decision.
As of right now, Hartford is not ranked by the On3 Consensus, but that is expected to change in the coming update. He’s already considered a four-star recruit by 247Sports and a high three-star by Rivals. 247Sports is particularly high on Hartford, ranking him as the second-best prospect out of Ohio and No. 110 in the 2023 class.
During his junior season at Lakota West, Hartford posted 58 tackles, two interceptions, one sack, and six blocked kicks. He was a first-team All-Conference performer and was listed on the second-team All-Region. For his production, he was invited to participate in the 2023 All-American Bowl, which will take place next January.
Originally a native of Maine, Hartford is quickly familiarizing himself with the local schools. Ohio State, which made his top seven, offered him in late January following a campus visit, a moment he called “a surreal experience”, according to Jeremy Brim of Letterman Row. The Cincinnati Bearcats have also been heavily involved, offering him back in September, just a couple of weeks before UK did the same. That being said, the OSU offer clearly stood out to him.
Kentucky will surely have its shot though. The Lakota West connection with work in Marrow’s favor. We’ll be keeping an eye on Hartford moving forward.
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