Malaki Starks takes his special skillset into special game for state of Georgia

ATHENS, Ga. — Malaki Starks is up for the Nagurski Trophy, given annually to the nation’s top defender in College Football, and it’s for good reason. One of five finalists, the Georgia safety is a linchpin on the back end of a Bulldog defense that ranks No. 5 in the country for scoring defense (15.1 points per game) and ninth in the nation for total defense (288.1 yards per game).

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, who’s been around countless talented defenders over his years in the game, said that when he evaluates players, he looks at two things: what one can do and what one is incapable of. In the case of Starks, he fills that first category with a long list of skills while the second category will leave you searching.

“He’s really athletic. He could probably go out and play corner for us if he had to. I think, when you look at players, you have to say, ‘What can he do and what can’t he do?’ He can do a lot of things, and there’s very little that he can’t do,” Smart said of Starks this week.

“He’s gotten tougher and more physical with his tackling. He’s much more knowledgeable and confident in his abilities. He understands the check system. He gives us the luxury of being able to do extra things that maybe people can’t do,” the head coach and defensive mastermind continued. “A lot of safeties can’t really tackle well and play man. He gives us the ability to do both those things. He’s done nothing but get better and lead since getting here.”

Starks, who’s in just his second season, is the kind of player who would likely be a first round pick in the NFL Draft if he were eligible to go after this season. Instead, Georgia fans will get to enjoy his talents for another season.

A starter of 25 games so far in his career, Starks has totaled 104 tackles, 13 pass breakups and four interceptions.

The skill of the former five-star is undeniable. It was something his classmate Dillon Bell noticed immediately upon arriving on campus. Not only did it stand out, but it set an expectation for others around him to get on his level.

“Malaki is an elite player,” Bell said. “When I first got here, he was one of those guys I looked up to because of his hard work. He’s a very hard worker, and he likes to get things done the right way. He doesn’t take any short cuts. He’s a great guy, and I can’t wait to see his future.”

As Smart said, Starks is only getting better too. Ask the safety himself, and he’ll tell you the biggest development hasn’t been improvement of his abilities on the field, rather the intangibles off of it. While it certainly carries over to his position on the back end of the secondary, communication and leadership are the areas he’s felt the most change.

“When I first got here, I wasn’t much of a talker. I was scared to say the wrong thing, scared to speak up in the game and in practice, whatever the case may be — in meetings. And I don’t really have that fear anymore,” Starks said. “I’m able to speak up, and if I’m wrong somebody will correct me. So just being able to communicate, trying to be on the same page with everybody, and knowing what other people are doing.”

Come Saturday when Georgia takes on Georgia Tech, the Jefferson, Ga. native will get to put his skills to the test in his home state’s biggest rivalry game. Starks said the intensity can be felt in the Classic City air each and every day at practice as the Yellow Jackets await in Atlanta.

Starks shared that with Clean Old-Fashioned Hate comes a history lesson from the Georgia coaches too. While he wouldn’t dive into details of the meeting, he made it clear that the experiences of those around the building with Georgia Tech certainly add fuel to the fire for this game, and as somebody that experienced it last season, he’s tried to communicate his own experiences to help others understand what they’re getting into.

“It’s intense. It’s hate week. Everything kind of goes up a little more. Everything kind of ramps up,” Starks said. “Georgia Tech week around here, there’s nothing playful about it. Practice is very, very intense, and just being that guy that went through it last year, you kind of figure out the ins and the ropes around it, I’m able to kind of help and duplicate that energy. Last year I was just kind of figuring it out. I always knew it was like a rivalry because I’m from here, but at practice I was like, ‘Whoa, it’s completely different from any other week.’ But I’m kind of able to help guys with that same energy and kind of give it off.”

“This game is a little different just because especially we’ve got a bunch of guys from here that’s from Georgia, and they’ve got a bunch of guys that’s from Georgia also. So, I mean, if I had to compare it it’s like a state championship game, you know? So it’s very intense,” he continued. “I’ll say every game kind of has it’s own history behind it, but this one’s just a little different.”