Ohio State Safety Leroy Roker on Comparisons to Malik Hooker and Learning from Caleb Downs

The Buckeyes safety discusses being compared to Malik Hooker, learning from Caleb Downs, and how special teams helped him earn trust and a growing role this spring.

Ohio State Buckeyes safety Jaylen McClain (18) and safety Leroy Roker (28) leave the field following the Big Ten Conference championship game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Dec. 6, 2025. Ohio State lost 13-10. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Leroy Roker has heard the comparison. When Ohio State General Manager Mark Pantoni mentioned Malik Hooker after Roker shed his black stripe in 2024, it was not something he brushed off. It was a moment that stuck.

“It means a lot,” Roker said. “Malik Hooker is a very good player and to be able to be compared to him is just amazing.”

Still, Roker is not focused on living up to a name. He is focused on the work that has pushed him into the first group conversation this spring in Ohio State’s secondary.

“Surprising, I wouldn’t say so,” Leroy said. “I just really put my faith in it and really been in the building a lot. It seemed like some of the seeds had been planted.”

Those seeds started to show last season.

Roker earned early trust on special teams, a critical pathway at Ohio State for young players trying to carve out a role. “Special teams is very important here,” he said. “By creating a role from special teams, I was able to put the trust in with the coaches and get on the field…That’s when I truly felt like I could play.”

Coming in as a lower-rated recruit only added motivation. “It definitely did put a chip on my shoulder,” he said. “[Arriving here] with a bunch of four and five stars, highly recruited, I knew I could compete with them.”

Part of that growth has come from learning alongside Caleb Downs, one of the most complete safeties in college football.

“It was good,” Roker said. “Caleb is a very smart player. Being able to lean on him and learn a bunch of things is very special.”

The lessons have been immediate and practical.

“Just pretty much how to play, where to line up, loud communication,” Roker said. That last piece has become a priority this spring and where he wants to improve most.

Leroy’s versatility has also stood out. He has worked at all three safety spots, something that gives Ohio State flexibility defensively. “It just gives a different look,” he said. “The quarterback might think I’m going to go in the post, but I’m going to come down in the fit.”

Now, he is proving it in a room loaded with talent. And his flexibility will only increase his opportunities to contribute.

“It’s honestly good,” Roker said. “Just being able to learn different spots and help my team out with whatever they need.”