Defensive tackle Malik Barrow, who would have been a redshirt sophomore for the Buckeyes this fall, has announced his retirement from football.
He made the announcement on Twitter.
“I love this game with all my heart. It’s opened so many doors for me in my life and I got to experience things that I never thought I’d be able to,” Barrow wrote. “But due to unfortunate circumstances throughout my football career, I found it was in my best interest to medically retire.”
Barrow was pushing for playing time during the summer of 2017 before tearing his ACL. He missed all of that season, and could apparently never get fully healthy after that.
It’s a tough end to what had been an extremely promising career.
In 2017, then-Buckeye defensive end Jalyn Holmes said Barrow “shows great talent and the sky is the limit for him.”
“I feel like that’s a future first rounder, top-10 pick in my eyes,” Holmes said. “Once he starts believing that on a consistent basis, nobody can block him.”
Holmes wasn’t alone in his assessment. Analysts had the then-redshirt freshman pegged for big things.
Unfortunately, Barrow tore his ACL just a few months later, and before he could realize that potential on the field.
He was seen at Buckeye practice this spring, but was not with the team after summer camp started.
Barrow was a 4-star prospect in the class of 2016, rated as the No. 299 overall player in his class.
He starred at IMG Academy, but tore his ACL during his senior season.
You can read his full statement below.
— Malik Barrow (@MalikB_55) October 21, 2018