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0:302025 NFL Draft Grades: Ravens Select Malaki Starks No. 27
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3:12Georgia poised to have another big NFL draft class | Junkyard Dawgcast
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0:542025 NFL Draft Top Safeties: No. 2 Malaki Starks (Georgia)
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2:102025 Combine DBs: Starks, Mukuba, and Emmanwori
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2:29Georgia DB Malaki Starks Joins CBS Sports HQ
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0:46CFB Transfer Portal: QB Jaden Rashada Heading to Sacramento State
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0:542025 NFL Draft Grades: Patriots Select Jared Wilson No. 95
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0:492025 NFL Draft Grades: Bengals Select Dylan Fairchild No. 81
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0:422025 NFL Draft Grades: Lions Select Tate Ratledge No. 57
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6:39What to make of commitment date changes for 2 Georgia targets | Junkyard Dawgcast
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3:25Atlanta Falcons take Jalon Walker in 1st round of NFL Draft | Junkyard Dawgcast
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0:242025 NFL Draft Grades: Falcons Select Jalon Walker No. 15
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0:252025 NFL Draft Grades: 49ers Select Mykel Williams No. 11
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2:04Georgia adds 3 players from the transfer portal | Junkyard Dawgcast
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0:48Georgia adds multiple transfers during the spring transfer portal cycle
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0:52Edge Beau Atkinson visiting Ohio State, Georgia this week
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1:02
QB Jaden Rashada set to visit North Carolina
Draft Scouting Report
Rating: 88.40 (Pro Bowl potential)
Pro Comparison: Evan Williams
Summary
Malaki Starks is a versatile, high-caliber safety with the size of a big cornerback and the movement skills to match. He's comfortable in the box, the slot or patrolling deep, showcasing rare positional flexibility for a modern safety. Starks brings elite-level hip fluidity and plus instincts, allowing him to read plays in real time and react decisively. In coverage, he's twitchy enough to handle tight ends and bigger slot receivers, and his long strides give him the ability to recover and challenge at the catch point with excellent timing.
While not a punishing hitter, Starks is a reliable tackler who wraps up with textbook form and rarely misses. His range from deep is solid, though his size, instincts and physicality are maximized closer to the line of scrimmage. Athletically, Starks flashes exceptional body control and ball skills, making him a consistent albeit not spectacular playmaker downfield. He may not dominate in one specific area, but his well-rounded skill set, versatility and lack of any glaring weaknesses make him an ideal three-down safety built for today's NFL.
About
- 2023-24: Two-time first-team All-American (consensus in 2023)
- 2022: CFP national champion
Strengths
- Big, thick frame ready for the NFL
- Deceptive speed to close throwing windows in man coverage
- Very reliable tackler with plus ball skills
Weaknesses
- While a quality athlete, he's not incredibly twitchy when needing to change directions
- Not quite as comfortable out in space as a deep defender as he is closer to the line of scrimmage
- At times a tick heavy-footed
Combine Data
- 40-yard dash: 4.50 seconds
- Vertical jump: 33 inches
- 20-yard shuttle run: 4.45 seconds
- 3-cone drill: 7.26 seconds
Top Malaki Starks News
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Ravens' Malaki Starks: Ravens add safety at 27th pick
The Ravens selected Starks in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 27th overall.
Starks (6-foot-1, 197 pounds) is a safety prospect whose stock maybe took a hit at the combine due to a mediocre overall workout (4.50-second 40, 33-inch vertical, poor agility drills), but he was a leading contributor on the very good Georgia defenses the last three years, including as a true freshman starter. Standout Baltimore safety Kyle Hamilton once disappointed at his own combine workout, and the Ravens have been well rewarded for taking Hamilton anyway. Starks and Hamilton in the same secondary could prove memorable, though Starks will need to compete for a starting role against the scrappy veteran Ar'Darius Washington.
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Player Bio
| HT/WT: 6-1, 197 lbs |
| Birthplace: Jefferson, GA |
| Age: 21 |
| Class: Junior |