Malik Hartford
| No. 12 – UCLA Bruins | |
|---|---|
| Position | Safety |
| Class |  |
| Personal information | |
| Born | March 19, 2005[1] |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 194 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Lakota West (West Chester, Ohio) |
| College |
|
| Awards and highlights | |
| Stats at ESPN | |
Malik Hartford (born March 19, 2005)[1] is an American college football safety. He plays for the UCLA Bruins. He formerly played for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Early life
[edit]Hartford attended Lakota West High School in West Chester, Ohio. As a senior, he notched 43 tackles with four being for a loss, two interceptions, and one defensive touchdown.[2] Hartford committed to play college football at Ohio State.[3]
College career
[edit]Hartford entered spring workouts with the Buckeyes weighing 169 pounds but bulked his weight up to over 190 pounds.[4] During the spring and summer, he competed for a starting safety role.[5] Hartford got his first career start in week 2 of the 2023 season versus Youngstown State.[6] In week 10 versus Rutgers, he notched a tackle and a pass deflection.[7]
At the conclusion of the 2025 season, Hartford entered the transfer portal after missing the majority of his junior season with a shoulder injury.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b @MalikHartford (March 19, 2022). "Woke up this morning 17.. Truly blessed🙏🏽" (Tweet). Retrieved May 21, 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ Springer, Scott (December 21, 2022). "'He obviously lived up to the hype.' Lakota West's Malik Hartford heads to Ohio State". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ Springer, Scott (April 6, 2022). "Cincinnati's top football recruit Malik Hartford of Lakota West chooses Ohio State". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ Hartman, Marcus. "Hype continues to build for true freshman Malik Hartford at Ohio State". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ Hartman, Marcus. "Ohio State Buckeyes: Lakota West grad still in the running for starting role". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ Kaufman, Joey (September 9, 2023). "Ohio State football starts Malik Hartford as free safety in Week 2". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ Hartman, Marcus (November 9, 2023). "Ohio State's Hartford happy to be ready when called upon this time". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ Walker, Mick (January 9, 2026). "Ohio State backup safety Malik Hartford entering transfer portal". On3. Retrieved January 12, 2026.