2025 NFL Draft prospect profile – Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

Can Starks be a game changing safety in the NFL?

The safety position occupies an interesting place in the discussion of positional value.

Most safeties don’t directly impact pass defense, the pass rush, or run defense. They can — and do — contribute to all of them, but they aren’t the primary actors. In many cases, that causes their value to slip some in the eyes of teams.

However, great safety play can expand defensive playbooks, shrink offensive playbooks, and literally change the way a team is able to play defense.

Those safeties are very valuable.

Georgia’s Malaki Starks has the potential to be one of those game-changing safeties in the NFL. He doesn’t have a truly elite athletic profile, however his football IQ, playmaking instincts, and versatility more than make up for that.

It’s unlikely that the New York Giants will be able to draft Starks, however we should still be familiar with him in case the Giants have to play him early in his career.

Prospect: Malaki Starks (24)
Games Watched: vs. Clemson (2024), vs. Alabama (2024), vs. Texas (2024), vs. Tennessee (2024)

Measurables

Kent Lee Platte | RAS.football

Strengths

Best traits

• Versatility
• Football IQ
• Ball skills
• Competitive toughness
• Straight line speed

Malaki Starks is a good-sized, smart, and hyper-versatile safety prospect.

Starks was used all over the middle of the Georgia defense, from playing the single-high safety, to nickel defender, to a STAR safety/linebacker hybrid.

Starks has an excellent football IQ, allowing him to execute from every position he was asked to play. He does a very good job of quickly dissecting the offensive play and putting himself in position to make an impact. He has a very fast downhill trigger as well as the speed to quickly arrive at the play. Starks understands route concepts and blocking schemes, allowing him to avoid traffic that might otherwise slow him down.

He also has excellent play strength, which allows him to easily overcome blocks from perimeter players and even effectively play in the tackle box.

Finally, he has good playmaking instincts, attacking the ball in coverage. He’s a hard hitter who’s disruptive at the catch point and offenses learned to avoid by 2024.

Weaknesses

Worst traits

• Agility and quickness

There are very few true weaknesses in Starks’ game, and he’s a very well-rounded safety.

The only significant issue in Starks’ profile is a relative lack of quickness and agility. Starks is a safety and not a nickel or cornerback, however he still shouldn’t be asked to play man coverage with receivers often. His speed gives him the ability to turn and run down the field with most receivers, however he would likely struggle to stay with shifty receivers or precise route runners through their breaks.

Game Tape

(Starks is the Georgia safety wearing number 24 and a black sleeve on his left arm.)

Projection

Malaki Starks projects as a starting safety at the NFL level.

Starks should earn a starting job immediately upon entering the NFL and has the upside to contribute in just about any scheme into which he could be drafted. He probably shouldn’t be asked to play man coverage as a nickel defender, but can play everything from true centerfielding free safety to a hybrid position at a high level.

Starks should be a playbook expander as a pro.

Does he fit the Giants?
Yes, though value is unlikely to align.

Final Word: A first round talent