INDIANAPOLIS — Former Unioto High School and Ohio State standout Ben Hartsock can finally get down to the business of playing professional football.
Hartsock, the third-round (68th overall) pick in April’s NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, inked a three-year, $1.474 million contract with the club Wednesday.
Hartsock’s deal includes a $554,000 signing bonus and minimum base salaries of $230,000 this season, $305,000 in 2005 and $385,000 in 2006.
Hartsock, a tight end, will report to the Colts’ first training camp Sunday at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Ind.
Hartsock is a 6-foot-4, 262-pounder who has been compared to former Colts’ tight end Ken Dilger. Colts coach Tony Dungy described him as a “point-of-attack, line-of-scrimmage guy” and a strong blocker.