Baltimore Ravens select Malaki Starks in first round of 2025 NFL Draft

The Baltimore Ravens selected Georgia Bulldogs safety Malaki Starks in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Starks entered the NFL after spending the last three seasons at Georgia.

During his time in Athens, Malaki Starks became one of the best safeties in college football. In 2022, Starks compiled 68 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and seven pass breakups in 14 starts. He played a big role in Georgia winning the national championship.

In 2023, Starks was named to the Associated Press All-America First Team and was a finalist for the Bronco Nagurski and Jim Thorpe Awards. In 14 starts, Malaki Starks tallied 52 tackles, three interceptions and seven pass breakups.

Last year, Starks was selected to the Associated Press All-America Second Team and was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award after notching an interception and three pass breakups in 14 starts. He helped Georgia win its second SEC title in three years.

Starks played high school football at Jefferson in Jefferson, Georgia. He ranked as the No. 10 overall prospect and the No. 1 safety in the Class of 2022, according to the On3 Industry Rankings, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Malaki Starks

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com gave his analysis of Starks for his draft profile. Zierlein likes’ Starks football IQ and speed but pointed out he had too many “eye violations in coverage” and has “average peripheral vision.”

“Three-year starter with reams of high-leverage games on his résumé. Starks is a versatile safety with the size and athleticism to eliminate contested catches and the speed and ball skills to shine when the action travels deep,” Zierlein wrote. “Connection to the route is inconsistent in man and he’s baited out of position by misdirection, but better discipline and anticipation should clean that up.

“He’s not a true force player near the line and his pursuit angles can be raggedy but he gets guys down when he’s in position. Starks has feast-or-famine moments on tape and disappointed with his short-area testing at the NFL Scouting Combine. He ran well in Indianapolis, though, and was impressive in interviews with teams. He is a future starter as a movable back-end piece whose consistency will determine his floor/ceiling.”