Malaki Starks 2025 NFL Draft: Georgia DS Scouting Report
In a loaded 2025 NFL Draft class, Malaki Starks is a talented DS with a high football IQ. Starks is an athletic safety who played for the Georgia Bulldogs. Today, we’ll break down his NFL outlook in this scouting report. Additionally, we will be breaking down his strengths, areas for improvement, and his potential draft grade.
Malaki Starks 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Starks arrived at Georgia as a five-star recruit from Jefferson High School, where he showcased rare athleticism as a two-way star and state champion long jumper. A three-year starter for the Bulldogs, Starks has been a cornerstone of one of college football’s elite defenses since his freshman season in 2022. With 40 starts in 41 games by the end of the 2024 season, his experience against top-tier SEC competition and national championship pedigree make him a standout in the 2025 NFL Draft safety class.
HT: 6007
WT: 197
40: 4.5
ARM: 3300
Strengths
- Athleticism and Range: Starks possesses a rare blend of size, speed, and explosiveness, evidenced by his track background (10.55-second 100-meter dash, 24’9” long jump PR). His closing speed allows him to cover all areas of the field, making him a natural fit as a deep safety.
- Instincts and Football IQ: Displays advanced pre-snap recognition and route anticipation, often positioning himself to disrupt passing lanes. His ability to read quarterbacks’ eyes and react decisively shines in zone coverage.
- Ball Skills: A handsy defender with a knack for creating turnovers (6 career INTs through 2024). He attacks the ball at its highest point and shows reliable hands, converting opportunities into takeaways.
- Versatility: Comfortably aligns as a free safety, in the slot, or closer to the line of scrimmage. Georgia’s staff trusted him in man coverage against tight ends and slot receivers, showcasing his versatility.
- Tackling Consistency: A willing and effective tackler in open space, Starks wraps up with proper form and rarely misses (career missed tackle rate below 10%). His downhill trigger is quick, and he delivers controlled, impactful hits.
Areas for Improvement
- Coverage Refinement: While fluid in transitions, Starks can struggle with elite quickness in man-to-man situations against shifty slot receivers. His hip tightness occasionally shows when mirroring complex route breaks.
- Physicality in the Box: More comfortable in space than as an eighth man in the box. He doesn’t consistently overpower blockers or dominate in run support like a traditional strong safety.
- Deep Recovery Speed: His range is impressive, but he lacks the top-end gear to consistently recover when beaten vertically by burners. He needs to refine angles to compensate.
- 2024 Production Dip: Recorded fewer interceptions (1) and pass breakups (3) in 2024 compared to prior years, partly due to increased slot usage and fewer centerfield opportunities. Some evaluators question if his ceiling is slightly lower than initially projected.
Conclusion
Starks profiles as a Day 1 starter with the versatility to fit multiple defensive schemes. His ideal role is as a free safety in a Cover-2 or Cover-3 system, where his range, ball skills, and processing can shine. Teams like the Baltimore Ravens or Indianapolis Colts, seeking a dynamic single-high safety, could unlock his full potential. Alternatively, his slot experience suggests he could moonlight as a nickel defender in sub-packages.
While not a finished product, Starks’ floor is exceptionally high due to his experience, athletic traits, and football intelligence. His ceiling hinges on polishing his man-coverage technique and adding functional strength. At his peak, he has Pro Bowl potential as a playmaking safety who erases mistakes and tilts the field.
Round Grade: 2nd Round
Stats: Per Sports Reference
| Season | Team | G | Solo | Ast | PD | Int | IntTD | FF |
| 2022* | Georgia | 15 | 44 | 24 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023* | Georgia | 14 | 31 | 21 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | Georgia | 14 | 52 | 25 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 43 | 127 | 70 | 17 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
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