When Ohio State safety Malik Hooker entered the 2017 NFL Draft, he did so as one of the prospects with the highest ceiling in the entire class.

Hooker, as a single-high free safety who had experience and production in the center fielder role on the back end of coverages, was a potential draft piece that could change an entire defense with the range and ball skills he presented.

That's what the Colts were hoping they were getting when they drafted him 15th overall.

And Hooker has given them that, just not as much as they have hoped over the last three seasons. The questions around why it hasn't happened more are why Indianapolis chose not to pick up Hooker's fifth-year option on his rookie deal.

But that move isn't the end of Hooker's career, his draft value as a first-round pick or even as a Colt. Coach Frank Reich has spoken highly of Hooker, but he has also recognized why they haven't gotten more out of him.

"In [2018], Malik was coming off that injury and got better as the year went on," Reich said, via The Athletic's Stephen Holder. "Last year, I really felt like Malik had a really good year. You could really feel his presence. Physically, I felt Malik's presence on the field. Malik is not the most outgoing, bubbly personality. He's got a lot of juice and intensity in him and I think you really saw that come out last year when he was healthy, when he started playing real physical and making plays on the ball. So, really excited and expecting big things from him this year."

Hooker has missed 14 games over the last three seasons due to injuries. He has battled knee, hip and foot issues over the past few years, including a torn ACL.

There are also some scheme fit questions with Hooker when he is on the field. When Hooker was drafted, Chuck Pagano was at the helm. Pagano ran more of a 3-4 defense as a base, and this was more natural for Hooker to play a single-high role. Now defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ more conservative Tampa 2 approach has left Hooker a little out of his element. It has caused Colts general manager Chris Ballard to be a bit reserved when speaking on his evaluation of Hooker.

“Malik was solid. Wouldn't say he was great,” Ballard said, via The Indianapolis Star. “He had some moments of being really good. And I thought he tailed off a little bit there at the end.”

Hooker played every defensive snap for the Colts in the final three games of the season, recording just four tackles and a single pass defended as their pass defense was ravaged by the like of Drew Brees, Gardner Minshew and Jameis Winston.

But the defense around Hooker will likely be better in 2020, which could certainly help his playmaking potential. Indianapolis added star defensive lineman DeForest Buckner via trade from San Francisco and brought in once All-Pro cornerback Xavier Rhodes.

But there is some added pressure on Hooker that came via the Colts selecting Utah free safety Julian Blackmon in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Blackmon is coming off a torn ACL, so he won't be ready until October or November; but if Hooker isn't giving them the reliability they're hoping for, either with availability or production, the Colts could move on from him with Blackmon already on the roster.

The injuries that have both held him off the field and stunted his development as a pro, as well as the change in the defensive scheme, are factors to weigh. But, even then, Hooker still has seven interceptions and 117 tackles in his three years with three coming in his first four NFL games.

Hooker’s natural talent is still there, and the Colts know that. But there seems to be too many questions surrounding him for Indianapolis to just pick up a fifth-year option that would have paid Hooker $7 million in 2021 and kept him on the roster for two more years.

Instead, Hooker will enter 2020 on a contract year. If he can remain healthy, even in a role he's not as comfortable with, he should be able to make an impact worthy of a strong contract, whichever team it is that signs him next spring.