\n One of Ohio State\u2019s top safeties will continue his football career at another school.
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\n\tMalik Hartford entered the transfer portal on Friday. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound safety is the 25th scholarship Buckeye to enter the portal since it opened on Jan. 2.\n<\/p>\n
\n\t\tOhio State safety Malik Hartford has entered the transfer portal, @mzenitz<\/a> and I have learned for @CBSSports<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hartford was a top 70 recruit and the No. 5 safety in the 2023 class. Has posted 20 tackles and 3 PDs in his career. https:\/\/t.co\/Ycv2m0d2P7<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/O24YB5JoFy<\/a>\n\t<\/p>\n \t\u2014 Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) January 9, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \n\tHartford was a four-star recruit and the No. 161 overall prospect in the 2023 class. He started in two\u00a0games as a freshman in 2023 and recorded 10 tackles and two pass breakups across nine appearances. Hartford may have been Ohio State\u2019s starting\u00a0free safety in 2024 had Caleb Downs not transferred from Alabama to become a two-time All-American for the Buckeyes. Instead, Hartford appeared in 14 of 15 games, recording eight tackles and one pass breakup.\n<\/p>\n \n\tIn 2025, Hartford joined C.J. Hicks as contributors to redshirt the rest of the regular season\u00a0after appearing in four games. After deciding to redshirt, Hartford underwent shoulder surgery, telling Eleven Warriors\u00a0before the Cotton Bowl that there were\u00a0\u201csome things that I needed cleaned up.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\tHartford is the fourth Ohio State scholarship defensive back to enter the transfer portal, joining cornerbacks Bryce West and Aaron Scott Jr. and safety Keenan Nelson Jr.\u00a0West signed with Luke Fickell and Wisconsin<\/a> on Tuesday, while Scott is still exploring his options, one of them being the Badgers.\n<\/p>\n \n\tWith Hartford in the portal, Ohio State is expected to have five safeties return in 2026: junior Jaylen McClain, redshirt sophomore Leroy Roker and sophomore Faheem Delane and redshirt freshmen Deshawn Stewart and Cody Haddad. The Buckeyes are also adding four\u00a0incoming freshmen at the position: four-star prospects Blaine Bradford, Simeon Caldwell and Khmari Bing, as well as three-star Kaden Gebhardt.\n<\/p>\n