Knee-Jerk Reactions: Ravens Select Georgia S Malaki Starks

With the 27th pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens selected Georgia safety Malaki Starks.

See his scouting report here.

Prospect Profile: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

RSR staff react to the pick below.

Tony Lombardi

Chuck Pagano must be smiling from ear to ear. This pick is like a double dip. It frees up Kyle Hamilton to play the Swiss Army knife role, lining up across the defensive front, creating confusion. Starks is an excellent and willing tackler and that alone is a huge upgrade over Marcus Williams. He’s a smart player with leadership traits and is rangy in coverage. With Wiggins, Humphrey, newly acquired Chidobe Awuzie, promising T.J. Tampa, Hamilton and now Starks, it allows Zach Orr to unleash hell up front with simulated pressures. I’m hoping the Ravens stay with defense in the second round and then supplement the O-Line on Day 3. And let’s not forget that there’s a good bit of free agent talent still available that no longer factors into the comp pick equation.

Rob Shields

The Ravens took the player many thought they would if he was there, Malaki Starks, a safety that can play centerfield and bring some needed turnovers to this defense.

They had their choice of some good players, but Mike Green had the sexual allegation charges and others had injury concerns.

As for Starks, I think you already have to love this kid. Booger MacFarland was talking about how he was training TODAY. You can tell he loves football and he apparently is a high character guy. If Matt Miller of ESPN is correct, this was the dream scenario for the Ravens.

Shockingly, the Ravens took a guy with a poor RAS score. His measurables aren’t good, although he can make up for it with his instincts. Let’s hope the lack of explosiveness doesn’t cost him at the NFL level.

Kevin McNelis

Yeah, not surprised in the least that Starks is the first selection for Baltimore, and I’m pretty happy with it. I wasn’t even sure he’d be sitting there for the Ravens to take, but he’s been a name linked to the Ravens for weeks at this point, and a guy that addresses arguably the largest need on the roster.

While top-tier EDGE was a route here, maybe they get lucky at 59 with some of the guys still sitting there. Starks’ versatility is a fantastic complement to Kyle Hamilton as a deep safety, but he can also put the body on when defending downhill. He’s a solid tackler with sure hands, and if the defensive staff can make sure he isn’t caught on an island in zone coverage too often, I have every confidence he’s going to flourish.

Nick Polinsky

This is a very Ravens pick where a quality player falls into their lap at the end of the first round. Starks is a battle-tested safety who was an All American in his second of three years at Georgia. Starks is another relatively young first round defender for the Ravens, as he doesn’t turn 22 until mid-November.

Ar’Darius Washington is also on a 1-year restricted free agent tender, and I think this was probably taken into account with this pick. For now Starks, Washington and Hamilton will easily be one of the best safety rooms in the league, but even if Washington departs after this upcoming season, Starks and Hamilton could still be a lethal duo.

Chris Schisler

The NFL Draft fell the Ravens’ way on night one. They needed a defensive back to deal with all the wide receiver talent in the AFC North. They needed a safety to be a long-term pair with Kyle Hamilton. This gives the Ravens an impressive boost in the secondary. The Ravens have two versatile safeties, opening up more creative looks and uses for Hamilton.

Last season the Ravens needed to have Hamilton focused as a deep middle of the field defender, the last line of defense and the guy keeping the lid on the defensive backfield. The Ravens now have an abundance of youth, range and ball skills at the two safety positions.

The Ravens solved a problem and got better in the long run. This is Ravens drafting. They stayed patient and it broke their way.

While the cornerback position and edge rusher spot were also needs, the young nucleus in the secondary with Hamilton, Starks, and Nate Wiggins is going to make a big difference for years to come. Will Johnson was an option at cornerback. There were some good pass rushers available. In the end the Ravens got their guy, a player with the intangibles and the measurables all in one package.

Now the Ravens need to beef up on the defensive line and add depth to the offensive line. Several roads presented themselves. Trading back would have made sense, yet this is a darn good start.

Jared Pinder

Ravens keep on doing it, man. Another high-end, awesome player has fallen into their lap, and they prosper. Starks is awesome, and yes, you can be a bit disappointed it is not an Edge rusher, but Starks is a great pick and allows the defense to just flow naturally. Now just go get an Edge tomorrow, and we are cooking.

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