Colts: Malik Hooker could prove Indianapolis wrong with Cowboys

The Indianapolis Colts have done well to add some cornerstones on both sides of the ball in the NFL Draft over the last few years under Chris Ballard, but the selection of safety Malik Hooker can be chalked up in the loss column for now.

Hooker was drafted after a fantastic career a Ohio State, but has been lapped by fellow safeties in his class, like Jamal Adams, Jabrill Peppers, Budda Baker, Marcus Maye, Marcus Johnson, Eddie Jackson and Xavier Woods.

Hooker has struggled with health, playing in just 36 games during his four years with Indianapolis, recording seven interceptions in that time. After Indy drafted Utah’s Julian Blackmon, the team made it clear it was moving on from Hooker when it declined his fifth-year option and let him hit the free agent market this past offseason.

Hooker appears to have found his next home in Texas, though, as he’s close to inking a deal with the Dallas Cowboys in order to beef up one of the worst secondaries in the league. If Hooker can hit his stride in Dallas, he could make the Colts rue the day that they let him go instead of keeping him around at a bargain.

Malik Hooker’s time in Dallas could make the Colts regret letting him go.

Hooker will join a unit that’s being commanded by former Seahawks defensive coordinator and Falcons head coach Dan Quinn. While his group had major faults in Atlanta, his defense might suit Hooker better due to how he allows safeties to hand back and cover tons of ground deep down the field.

Quinn’s Cover 3-heavy scheme will have Hooker playing far away from the line of scrimmage and roaming around freely. This is how he made his name with the Buckeyes, and it was even how he was able to make a handful of plays, when healthy, in Matt Eberflus’ defense as the lone deep man in a Cover 1 scheme.

Hooker might weigh 215 pounds, but he’s a premium athlete that can cover ground, break up passes, and turn errant throws into interceptions. With how inexperienced Dallas’ secondary is, Hooker will get plenty of snaps. If he stays healthy, he might be able to pick off enough passes to make the Colts questioning why they didn’t retain him at such a low price.

Blackmon is going to be solid, and rookie Shawn Davis has potential as a versatile backup, but the safety position isn’t completely set up for success, and if Hooker stays healthy enough to finally start playing like a first-round pick, Ballard might get some blowback for not giving him one last chance alongside a more established secondary.

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