UCLA Bruins · S RoomS

#12 Malik Hartford

Class  RS JR/TRFrom  Ohio State (transfer)Ht / Wt  6'2" · 193 lbHometown  Cincinnati, OH · Lakota West HS / Ohio State

Depth-chart placement

Current role

FS2

Placement

Backup

Room

Safety

Experience

4-JR

Last change

Updated 2026-07-29

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S room context

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Malik Hartford holds the FS · Backup spot in UCLA Bruins’s safety room. Where he sits among the room’s front-line roles:

SS · StarterCole MartinStarter

FS · StarterTao JohnsonStarter

NB · StarterDJ BarksdaleStarter

SS · BackupTa'Shawn JamesBackup

FS · BackupMalik HartfordBackup

Transfer history

2026Ohio State→UCLA Bruins

Background & career

Malik Hartford is a 6'2", 193-pound free safety who transferred to UCLA ahead of the 2026 season after three years at Ohio State. A four-star recruit from the 2023 class, Hartford appeared in 27 games for the Buckeyes (two starts), recording 20 tackles and three pass breakups. During his 2023 true freshman campaign, he played in nine games with two starts and totaled 10 tackles, including his collegiate debut on Sept. 2 at Indiana. In 2024, he appeared in 14 games as Ohio State won the National Championship, notching eight tackles. Hartford played in four games during the 2025 season before taking a redshirt, posting two tackles.

Ohio State2023 – 2025

UCLA2026 — present

Previous schoolOhio StateRecruiting4-star · No. 161 nationalOriginCincinnati, OH · Lakota West HS / Ohio State