Ravens Stay Put at 27 and get Instant Starter Late in the First Round

Malaki Starks Looks to Fill Starting FS Spot in Baltimore Secondary

Malaki Starks is thrilled to be a Raven, he admitted in his post draft interview. He watched tape of Kyle Hamilton to learn from the best, and now they will be running mates in the Flock’s secondary.

Starks impressed the Ravens with his combination of elite ball skills, versatility, and, most importantly, his elite football mind. Here’s GM Eric DeCosta discussing how Starks won them over with his knowledge of defensive schemes.

A Perfect Fit for Baltimore’s Defense

That understanding of defense was a big factor in the pick, and something the Ravens struggled with last season. Constant defensive miscommunications led to big gains and a lot of frustration on the defensive side of the ball. With Eddie Jackson and Marcus Williams leaving, the Ravens had a hole to fill at safety. They waited patiently until pick 27 and took Starks, the first safety off the board in 2025. Starks’ football brain will be put to the test by defensive coordinator Zach Orr, but he is exactly the kind of player the Ravens love. With Starks, Kyle Hamilton, and Ar’Darius Washington, the Ravens have 3 safeties who can play deep and at the nickel position. Last season, Hamilton was forced to play deep safety due to the incompetence of Marcus Williams. Now, Starks can play deep and let Hamilton play closer to the line of scrimmage and be more active around the ball. The versatility also allows the Ravens to disguise more in coverage and handle pre-snap motion. Even if Malaki doesn’t start right away, Baltimore plays a lot of nickel and 3 safety packages, so there will be plenty of snaps for him.

Great College Career, Already Knows What It Take to Win a Ring

At Georgia, all Starks did was have success. He started every game as a true freshman and helped the Bulldogs win a national title in 2022. After his Sophomore and Junior campaigns he was selected to the All-SEC and All-American teams as one of the best safeties in the country. He also led the Bulldogs with 77 tackles last season.

Last years’ first round pick, Nate Wiggins, did not get his first interception until late in the season, but I expect Malaki Starks to get his first pick early in the season. Check out some of these plays and tell me this guy doesn’t have elite ball skills.

Consensus from the rest of the NFL “Ravens Get Their Guy, Again”

The Ravens draft strategy under DeCosta has been to sit and let the draft board fall where it may, then take the best player on the board. Lots of teams get wowed by things like arm length and 40-yard dash times, but the Ravens have their own method. They have drafted more pro bowlers than any team over the past 10 years. They consistently go for value over positional need, which is how they end up with guys who may have question marks but end up being great football players. Think about guys Hamilton (slow 40 time, all-pro), Tyler Linderbaum (undersized, pro bowler), and now Malaki Starks, who ran slow at the combine and plays a less flashy position. He plays faster on tape, and that tells a better story than anything at the combine.

There were other impressive players on the board at positions of need for Baltimore. OT Josh Simmons, Edge Mike Green, CB Will Johnson, LB Jihaad Campbell, and fellow S Nick Emmanwori were all available. But, the Ravens clearly fell in love with Starks during the draft process and seem thrilled that they got their guy. It’s similar to how the team felt last year when they selected Wiggins, and he finished his rookie year really strong. The Ravens track record speaks for itself, so the flock fanbase should be as thrilled to get Starks as the Ravens top brass is.

Now Baltimore will have four first round picks in the secondary: Starks, Hamilton, Wiggins, and Marlon Humphrey. Spending that kind of draft capital on the back end makes a lot of sense when Baltimore will have to face Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, or Joe Burrow on their way to the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the rest of the AFC North took defensive lineman in the first round last night, because they need to find some way to stop Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry from running them over.