Hooker stays close to New Castle roots
“There are going to be draft parties all over this town — at houses, local watering holes, a youth center. It’s something,” said Ralph Blundo, New Castle High’s assistant principal who also coached Hooker in basketball.
It’s another example of what New Castle means to Hooker and vice versa. On Tuesday, Hooker visited students at George Washington Intermediate, a school in the New Castle district for third through sixth graders.
“There was standardized testing going on and they told the kids if they worked hard on the tests, there was a surprise,” said Blundo. “You should’ve seen the kids faces when Malik showed up.”
Students lined the halls for Hooker and New Castle’s marching band led Hooker through the halls. On Thursday morning, eight hours before the draft, Hooker plans to visit patients at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.
“Malik takes pride in where he comes from,” said Angela Dennis, Malik’s mother. “Being considered one of the best to ever come out of New Castle, he knows he can have a lot of influence on kids and he takes pride in that.”
Malik said, “I think it’s just something my mother instilled in me.”
Malik Hooker is one of Angela Dennis’ five children. A single mom, Dennis raised all five at a small home in New Castle, sometimes working two jobs to make ends meet. The family never had much. Malik and his two younger brothers, Marquel and Marcus, all slept in one bedroom — and still do when Malik comes home. Dennis still works as a personal care assistant for teachers at New Castle High School.
“We’ve been crying all week leading up to this draft,” Blundo said. “She comes in my office, we cry and she leaves. But it’s the best kind of tears. It’s just the emotion for this little guy from New Castle and now he’s going to get drafted. It’s an amazing story.”
Hooker’s story has been well-documented. Although he played football in junior high, Hooker only played football as a junior and senior at New Castle. He was a basketball star, leading New Castle to an undefeated season as a senior and was selected PostGazette Athlete of the Year. But he showed so much athletic ability and potential in football that Ohio State recruited him hard, despite his relative inexperience. He started only one season at safety for Ohio State but was tremendous and decided to turn pro after his redshirt sophomore year.
“It will be interesting to see with Malik, because the talent is all there,” said Todd McShay, ESPN draft analyst. “His ball skills are sensational. His instincts and ability to read quarterbacks’ eyes and get early jumps, and then the closing speed. It really is all there. He’s an inconsistent tackler. I think he’s got to improve in that area. And I think some teams I’ve talked to are a little bit more worried about the durability, and the lack of true experience.”
But in New Castle, no one knocks Hooker. He is a favorite son of a town that has had decades of rough times. He still appears as the reserved, humble kid who used to wear the red and black.
“It would be different if he was a freak athlete and a rotten kid,” Blundo said. “But he has wanted to do things the right way. He gets a lot of the stuff that’s going on. He knows our community needs him and needs to see him. Our kids need to see him. I know I brag a lot about him, but not about his abilities. I just brag about him. I can’t help it.”
Hooker already has signed a contract with Nike’s Jordan brand. Players selected in the top 10 in the NFL draft can get signing bonuses of $10 million or more. Hooker has already bought his mother a car. “A Buick,” he said. Could a house for mom be in the future?
“Honestly, I’m not sure yet,” said Hooker. “I know she’s not moving until at least my youngest brother [Marcus] graduates next year.”
So New Castle will still be home for a while.
Mike White: mwhite@post-gazette.com and Twitter @mwhiteburgh.