Stephen Holder

stephen.holder@indystar.com

INDIANAPOLIS – After taking over a defense coping with the departures of key defensive backs, Greg Schiano had a watchful eye on his secondary on Ohio State's first day of on-field workouts back in the spring of 2016.

Much to his elation, he saw a young player moving with the sort of fluidity the longtime college and NFL coach had rarely seen. Schiano needed to know more, so he pulled Malik Hooker aside after the practice.

“I called him in,” said Schiano, the associate head coach and defensive coordinator, in a phone interview with IndyStar. “I told him ‘I haven’t seen anyone move like you since this guy I coached a long time ago at Miami.’”

That guy, as you might know by now, was former Ravens All-Pro and presumptive Hall-of-Famer Ed Reed, who Schiano coached while defensive coordinator at Miami (Fla.).

It is more than a little notable that a coach with Schiano’s extensive background would make such an audacious comparison before he’d even coached Hooker in an actual game. But Schiano had seen enough, and he knew it would translate to live action.

He was right. And the Indianapolis Colts agreed, making Hooker their first-round draft pick Thursday night after the All-American safety inexplicably fell to pick No. 15.

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And what has Schiano most excited about Hooker’s long-term prospects is the potential for rapid growth in the one-year college starter.

“He only played two years in high school,” Schiano said. “Then, he gets to Ohio State and he was homesick his first year (he redshirted). He gets past that and the next year he had two established starters in front him. But the light just came on last year and he went on to be the complete defensive back and not just a guy who was a talented athlete."

Asked whether that progression might continue, Schiano said, “Oh, yeah. I think he’s going to be able to hit the ground running.”

Schiano expects Hooker’s instincts and athleticism are going to quickly separate him in Indianapolis. Like the Buckeyes, the Colts are likely to use Hooker as a deep safety where he can make his trademark centerfield plays that have prompted Schiano and Colts coach Chuck Pagano (also a former Miami assistant) to make the Reed comparisons.

“Malik is so good when you put him in a deep zone,” Schiano said. “(Quarterbacks) think they can slip one past him because he’s too far away, and they’re usually wrong… You know, he was an elite basketball player (in high school) and those players just have a great feel for the floor. They just see it. He has that on the football field.”

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The conversation with Schiano then turned to what is widely known to be Hooker’s weakness: His tackling. ESPN analyst Jon Gruden blasted the pick on live television Thursday night while playing a series of embarrassing missed tackles by Hooker. The Colts readily acknowledge tackling is not among his strengths.

Schiano didn’t necessarily dispute that. But he did add some important context.

“I could make a cutup that shows you he’s the best tackler in college football,” Schiano said. “And then I could make another where it wouldn’t be as good. To me, if he’s done it sometimes, then it’s our job to make sure he does it all the time.

"With him, it’s experience. He’s only got 13 (starts) under his belt. It’s like a beginning driver. When you first start driving, you look over your shoulder when you change lanes, do it by the book. Years later, you’re much more comfortable. Well, he’s a beginning driver.”

Hey, even the best players were beginning “drivers” at some point. Maybe Hooker will become one some day.

“Chuck can see the range on (Hooker) because he’s seen it before,” Schiano said. “He’s seen it with Ed.”

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