Former Buckeyes star Malik Hooker re-signs with Dallas Cowboys

COLUMBUS — Former Ohio State safety Malik Hooker began to revive his career last year in Dallas with the Cowboys.

He is now sticking around with the Cowboys for at least two more years. Dallas signed Hooker to a two-year, $8 million deal on Tuesday as NFL free agency heats up, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.

After being drafted by the Colts, Hooker suffered injuries and became a free agent after the 2020 season. The Cowboys scooped him up last offseason with a one-year deal. He immediately impacted an improving Cowboys defense, starting three games and appearing in 15. He totaled 44 tackles, one interception and two passes deflected in his lone season with Dallas.

Now he has a chance to build on that good season with even better production in the coming two years.

Hooker’s remembered in Columbus for his redshirt sophomore year, when he tallied 74 total tackles and seven interceptions, returning three for touchdowns. He was a consensus All-American and first-team All-Big Ten selection for his performance.

The older brother of current Ohio State safety Marcus Hooker, he opted to declare for the NFL Draft following the 2016 season. Part of the Best In America tradition at Ohio State, the Colts drafted him with the 15th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Hooker headed to Dallas last offseason, joining a franchise that hired former Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn as the team’s new defensive coordinator last offseason to turn around its pass defense. Hooker was a big part of the successful transition to a top-tier passing defense.

Malik Hooker’s NFL career hasn’t exactly gone as planned. But after a successful first year in Dallas, the Ohio State product Hooker is staying with the Cowboys for two more years as a low cost, high reward player.

Hooker can yet again prove why the Buckeyes produce some of the best defensive back talent in the country.