Signed: Leroy Roker Looks to Emerge As Hidden Gem at Safety After Late Emergence As Ohio State Prospect

Leroy Roker The Fort Myers, FL native is ready to make his way north to Columbus. He is smooth, instinctive and is an eraser in the defensive backfield. The newest member of BIA, Welcome to THE Brotherhood Leroy.
#2THE4THE x @LeroyRoker10 pic.twitter.com/RyxYUThYiI

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 20, 2023

A three-star recruit, Roker had only been offered by two other FBS schools – Iowa and Old Dominion – when he received his offer from the Buckeyes on Oct. 3. Just eight days later, Roker announced his commitment to Ohio State.

Roker’s ranking (1,175th overall in 247Sports’ composite rankings for the 2024 class) and volume of offers are lower than the typical Ohio State signee and the lowest of any player in Ohio State’s 2024 class, but his film shows why he could prove to be a hidden gem for the Buckeyes.

Roker showed excellent ballhawking ability and ability to cover ground with his speed on the back end as he recorded seven interceptions and 54 tackles during his senior season at Bishop Verot High School (Fort Myers, Florida), all while also gaining nearly 600 all-purpose yards as a receiver, rusher and kickoff returner. 

A three-sport standout who also plays basketball and competes in track and field, Roker has no shortage of athleticism and plenty of upside to improve as a football player once he focuses on it as his sole sport. His film shows he’s already a willing and effective tackler, though he’ll need to bulk up at the collegiate level as the 6-foot-1 safety is currently listed at only 170 pounds.

Given his need to add weight and that he won’t be arriving at Ohio State until summer, Roker is a likely candidate to redshirt as a true freshman, but the Buckeyes are bringing him in because of what they think he can develop into as a rangy free safety.

Ball hawk!! Film reminds me of @MalikHooker24 https://t.co/gDbwlg55zd

— Mark Pantoni (@markpantoni) December 20, 2023

With only four scholarship safeties currently on Ohio State’s roster who could potentially still be on the team in 2025 (Sonny Styles, Malik Hartford, Jayden Bonsu and Cedrick Hawkins), the door is open for Roker to quickly climb the depth chart and earn playing time with the Buckeyes by his second year. 

That will depend on how Roker develops in his first couple of years on campus, but his potential to eventually become a game-changing playmaker with his length, speed and ball skills is evident – even if his recruiting ranking doesn’t reflect that.