In the latest 2025 NFL mock draft from ESPN’s Matt Miller, the Indianapolis Colts bolster the back end of their secondary by selecting Georgia safety Malaki Starks at 15th overall.
If you haven’t already, get to know Starks’ name because between now and April’s draft, you will see him mocked to the Colts quite often.
At 6-1 – 205 pounds, Starks is a very good athlete who can wear a variety of hats within the secondary. While the bulk of his playing time in college has come at free safety, Starks has also played 451 snaps in the box and 574 from the slot as well.
He’s been a reliable tackler throughout his career and saw a significant jump in production across the board from his 2022 to 2023 season.
Starks’ completion percentage plummeted to 51 percent. He allowed only 11.1 yards per catch, had increased ball production, and the opposing quarterbacks’ collective passer rating dipped to only 61.6.
In addition to all of that, by PFF’s metrics, Starks was also one of the better run defenders at the safety position in 2023.
In 10 games this season, Starks has logged three quarterback pressures, 52 tackles, is allowing 11.1 yards per catch and a completion rate of 61 percent with two pass breakups and one interception. His passer rating when targeted sits at 79.7 and he has been penalized only once.
Miller would call Starks a “top-10 prospect with good positional versatility.”
Malaki Starks, my goodness
— PFF College (@PFF_College) August 31, 2024
A positive for the Colts’ defense this season has been the development and improved play of Nick Cross. However, safety should still remain a top priority next offseason.
The only safeties on the current 53-man roster who are under contract in 2025 are Cross and Rodney Thomas, with Julian Blackmon set to hit free agency again. And as Miller noted, the Colts are allowing the seventh-most passing yards per game in 2024.