Malaki Starks – Syndication Server

Daniel Jeremiah gives Vikings dynamic safety in first NFL Mock Draft

Daniel Jeremiah has the Minnesota Vikings drafting a safety out of Georgia for the second time in four years in his first 2025 mock draft.

Although there is still one more NFL game left in the 2024 season, the offseason has begun for 30 other teams. That means eyes turn towards free agency and the draft. And the draft means we get mock drafts, even if the Senior Bowl hasn’t been played yet.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, one of the premier draft analysts in the game, released his first mock draft of the season. He has the Minnesota Vikings selecting Georgia safety Malaki Sparks at pick 24. Jeremiah wrote the following about the selection:

Starks didn’t make as many plays as we’re accustomed to seeing from him in 2024, but people at Georgia rave about his intangibles, leadership and work ethic. He has the versatility to play over the top or cover the slot.

Starks is an intriguing prospect. He intercepted six passes and 44 stops at Georgia and possesses good size, standing 6’1″, 205 pounds, according to NFL.com.

Cam Bynum and Harrison Smith are set to be free agents, so safety is a need. But would the Vikings feel compelled to spend a high pick on a safety, especially after the disastrous Lewis Cine pick in the 2022 draft?

Perhaps trading down and accumulating additional draft capital would help the Vikings find more value in Starks. But unless Minnesota addresses safety in free agency, Starks is a name to monitor as the draft process plays out.

3 Georgia Bulldogs make ESPN’s top 100 players of 2024

ESPN’s top 100 CFB players of 2024 features three Georgia Bulldogs

ESPN released their rankings of the top 100 players from the 2024 college football season. Out of the top 100 players, three Georgia Bulldogs made the list.

Georgia won the 2024 SEC championship, but lost to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl to end their College Football Playoff run.

Here is how the Georgia Bulldogs ranked

Tate Ratledge, No. 40

It speaks to how dominant Ratledge was in 2024 that he made the list despite playing in just 10 games. Ratledge had tightrope surgery on an ankle injury he suffered during the Kentucky game.

Throughout the 2024 season, he only allowed one sack and four hurries, with a 74.7 PFF grade. Ratledge is projected to be a second round pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Malaki Starks, No. 29

Starks had a stellar final season with the Georgia Bulldogs. Outside of a tough performance in the Alabama game, Starks was a major presence on the Georgia defense.

He led the Bulldogs with 77 tackles, along with earning four tackles for loss, one interception, and three passes deflected. His junior season performance earned him a second-team All-SEC spot. He is projected to be an early first rounder.

Jalon Walker, No. 15

Walker didn’t crack the starting lineup until his third season with Georgia, but boy, did he make up for lost time. He became the best pass rusher for Georgia, leading the team in 6.5 sacks, along with 38 tackles. His biggest game was against Texas on Oct. 19, where he racked up three sacks in the first half.

Walker was a Swiss-army knife with the Georgia defense. He’s gotten comparisons to Micah Parsons, and he’s projected to be a near top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

ESPN suggests Saints may need to change their approach to the 2025 NFL draft

Should the New Orleans Saints adopt a ‘best player available’ approach in the 2025 NFL draft? ESPN suggests it could help them out:

The New Orleans Saints have a long, long list of needs heading into the offseason and do not have the luxury of targeting one specific part of the roster.

When looking across the top 10 picks of the 2025 NFL draft, ESPN’s Katherine Terrell suggested the team just worry about taking the best player available in the first round. This is part of what Terrell had to say about her reasoning:

At $70.6 million over the cap in 2025 (per Roster Management System), the Saints are likely going to have to draft for need. But their biggest need is open to interpretation. They are looking for successors at defensive end and linebacker for 35-year-olds Cameron Jordan and Demario Davis, respectively. They also could use another wide receiver to slot alongside Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, as well as permanent fixes to the offensive line.

As alluded to, that really doesn’t narrow much down. Rather than worrying about ranking those needs, the decision certainly should just revolve around who is on the board when they come up to pick.

Perhaps the Saints can consider what the bigger need is if they have two players of similar skill levels on the board at the same time.

For example, there is a world where Georgia Bulldogs safety Malaki Starks and Tennessee Volunteers defensive end James Pearce Jr. are on the board at nine. Both are extremely talented and impactful adds. Defensive end is bit bigger of an immediate need than safety, so that might influence their decision.

Mickey Loomis could also just throw all caution to the wind and go with a full best player approach and take Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty above both of them.

Either way, New Orleans just desperately needs to add talent to their roster this offseason.

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3 Georgia Bulldogs go in first-round Mel Kiper’s mock draft

Three Georgia Bulldogs elected in Mel Kiper’s first 2025 NFL mock draft.

Seventeen Georgia Bulldogs have declared for the NFL draft. In ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper’s first official 2025 NFL mock draft, three Bulldogs were selected in the top 20 picks including two in the top 10.

Here are the three Georgia players selected in Mel Kiper’s mock draft.

Mykel Williams, 8th pick, New York Jets

In Kiper’s draft, Mykel Williams gets selected 8th overall by the Jets. New York suffered a disastrous 5-12 record and while the offensive side didn’t deliver on the hype, the defense was a major sore spot after head coach Robert Saleh was fired.

The Jets already have a great one-two punch of pass rushers with Will McDonald and former Georgia transfer Jermaine Johnson III, but Johnson III suffered a torn ACL. Will McDonald has a weakness in run defense, which is one of Mykel Williams’s strengths.

Jalon Walker, 9th pick, Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers had one of the worst defenses in the NFL and a big reason for that was their pass rush, which was bottom five in sacks production. Getting Georgia’s most accomplished pass rusher will be a boon for them. Walker is considered by many as a Swiss-Army-Knife linebacker, even getting comparisons to Micah Parsons in the past. Walker could change the Carolina defense overnight.

Malaki Starks, 13th pick, Miami Dolphins

This could be the second year two high-profile Georgia players end up getting drafted to rival teams. In Mel Kiper’s mock draft, it’s a reality with Starks and Mykel Williams both going to AFC East teams. Starks is a rangy safety and the ultimate ballhawk.

He can cover the slot, with some experience at nickelback and he can play free safety, something the Dolphins could need considering the uncertainty around pending free agents Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer.

Here’s the rest of Kiper’s mock draft:

Dolphins’ top 2025 draft prospects: Georgia S Malaki Starks

One way or another, the Dolphins need to address the safety position. Malaki Starks would be an exciting solution.

Georgia’s Malaki Starks is likely to be the first safety off the board in the 2025 NFL draft and is projected by most to be a top 15 selection.

Starks never missed a game in three years with the Bulldogs and was a starter as a freshman. In 2024, Starks recorded 77 tackles, four tackles for loss, and an interception. He racked up 197 tackles and six interceptions in his three years at Georgia.

Mel Kiper of ESPN projected in his first mock draft that the Dolphins will use the No. 13 overall pick to select Starks. “He closes well and makes plays on the ball,” Kiper said. “And he’s versatile, lining up as a traditional safety and in the slot.”

Starks is a well-rounded safety who can simply do everything. He has the ability line up anywhere on the field and affect both the opposing run and pass games.

Starks is able to pursue ball carriers with elite tackling ability. He’s also displayed elite coverage skills. While his interception total was down in 2024, Starks recorded 25 more tackles than the previous season. His elite leaping ability will also be something that catches the eyes of scouts during the combine.

Position: Safety
Projected Round: 1st
Height: 6’1
Weight: 205

Fit for Miami

While the offensive line is probably Miami’s most glaring need, selecting Starks would address the biggest issue on defense and possibly mean the Dolphins took the best available player off the board.

Similar to the guard position, Miami is facing a situation where three of their safeties — Jevón Holland, Jordan Poyer, and Elijah Campbell — are all impending free agents. Behind them is Patrick McMorris, a 2024 sixth-round pick.

Safety was a weak position for the Dolphins all of last season even with those three veterans in the lineup. Though the Dolphins secondary didn’t allow many big plays in 2024, the safety group didn’t create a single interception.

Open field tackling has also been a consistent issue for the Dolphins secondary over the last two seasons. According to PFF, Starks missed just 6.9 percent of the tackles he attempted in his college career.

Holland is coming off his worst statistical season in his fourth campaign. It was his first season as a pro without an interception, and he finished with a career-low 42 tackles. PFF gave Holland a 63.0 grade, the lowest of his career.

However, Holland is still expected to be one of, if not the top impending free agent safety this offseason, potentially putting him out of the Dolphins price range. Miami will also probably want an upgrade from Poyer in the safety room.

Selecting Starks would allow the Dolphins to immediately replace Holland or Poyer in the lineup, freeing up general manager Chris Grier to use the cap space to address different holes on the depth chart.

Bottom line

Re-signing Holland is going to be difficult and looks highly unlikely given Miami’s cap situation. Even if the Dolphins restructure contracts and/or make roster cuts, keeping Holland could create more problems than it solves.

One way or another, the Dolphins have to address the safety group in the offseason, whether that’s by re-signing impending free agents, signing new players, or looking to the draft.

There’s a strong chance that the Dolphins will be looking at two new starting safeties in 2025, and the NFL draft provides a couple options for them to immediately address the need.

Starks at the No. 13 pick is a cost friendly solution to the problem. Regardless of what happens with Holland, Starks would be a day one starter in the Miami secondary.

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Dolphins address defense first in Mel Kiper Jr.’s first mock draft

Offensive line is a priority for the Dolphins, but it’s hard to argue with Mel Kiper’s solution for the massive hole in Miami’s secondary.

The Miami Dolphins plan to rebuild their offensive line this offseason, according to general manager Chris Grier, but that’s not the only spot on the roster that needs work. In Mel Kiper Jr.’s first mock draft of the year, ESPN’s draft guru predicted the Dolphins will address a hole in their secondary instead.

After projecting two offensive linemen come off the board at Nos. 10 and 11 overall, Kiper has the Dolphins taking Georgia safety Malaki Starks with the No. 13 selection. Via ESPN:

No college defense has ever had three players go this early in the same year, per ESPN Research, but Starks could join the early run on Bulldogs. He closes well and makes plays on the ball. With 67 tackles this season, he works well in space. And he’s versatile, lining up as a traditional safety and over the slot. Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer — the Dolphins’ starting safeties — are both free agents this offseason, so Miami could certainly address the back end here. An offensive or defensive line upgrade could also be the move, though.

Holland is one of tougher decisions of the offseason for Miami. While the former second-round pick wasted no time emerging as a leader in the Dolphins secondary, Holland had an unproductive season in 2024, finishing without an interception and a career-worst 63.0 grade from Pro Football Focus.

But that down year doesn’t change that Holland is set to become one of the top free agents on the market in March. If the Dolphins hope to retain the 24-year-old safety, it won’t be cheap.

Even if the Dolphins do manage to sign him to an extension, the other safety spot has been an even bigger issue with a revolving door of players next to Holland. Miami signed Jordan Poyer to a one-year deal as a stopgap solution, but the former Buffalo Bills defensive back struggled to make much of an impact.

Offensive line is a top priority for the Dolphins, but it’s hard to argue with Kiper’s solution for the massive hole in Miami’s secondary.

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Pro Football Focus selects Colts “perfect” draft prospect

Pro Football Focus recently selected the “perfect” 2025 NFL draft prospect for each team. Here is a look at who they selected for the Colts.

Georgia safety Malaki Starks was named a “perfect” 2025 NFL draft prospect for the Indianapolis Colts by Pro Football Focus.

Starks would fill a do-it-all role on the back-end of the Colts’ defense.

As noted by PFF, Starks was versatile, able to line up all over the defensive backfield, and effective against both the run and passing games.

Over the last two years, he’s allowed a completion rate of just 58% on 90 targets with four interceptions and 12 forced incompletions.

Then against the run, Starks is “even more impressive,” as PFF wrote, and has proven to be a reliable tackler along with recording 22 run-stops during the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

For more on Starks’ game, here is a snippet of what Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network had to say in his scouting report:

“Starks perfectly fits the profile of the do-it-all defender. His technical prowess, spatial reasoning skills, closing range, and recognition are deadly traits in two-high and single-high. But he can also man up receivers as an off-man slot defender, close gaps, and enforce in support.”

For the second offseason in a row, general manager Chris Ballard was again answering questions about the play of the secondary.

This was a group where there was some development, but overall, the Colts’ ranked near the bottom in completion rate, pass deflections, and yards per pass attempt.

At the safety position specifically, in addition to bolstering the level of play at that position, depth will be a big need as well with only Nick Cross and Rodney Thomas under contract currently for the 2025 season.

“We’ve got to get better,” said Ballard about the cornerback and safety positions.

The Athletic’s 2-round mock draft has Saints drawing from blue-chip programs

There have been a lot of complaints about the Saints spending early-round picks on small-school prospects. That isn’t a problem in The Athletic’s mock draft:

The 2025 NFL draft class is beginning to take shape with underclassmen declaring whether they’ll turn pro and seniors telling their schools goodbye. And while the there’s been plenty of criticism for the New Orleans Saints spending early-round draft picks on prospects from smaller programs, that wasn’t an issue in this two-round mock draft.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler argues the Saints should start their 2025 draft by picking Georgia safety Malaki Starks at No. 9 overall:

Safety might feel like a luxury option for a Saints team that needs help at quarterback, pass catcher and on the defensive line. But Starks can play across the secondary and be a playmaker in different ways. With his athleticism, football IQ and makeup, he will be an easy sell in NFL war rooms.

Starks is an intriguing talent, and if he’s able to play every down defensively he could be well worth the pick. The Saints lack a sure thing next to Tyrann Mathieu on the back end and had to platoon older pros like Will Harris (861 snaps), Ugo Amadi (527), and Johnathan Abram (115) far too often last season. We didn’t see the hoped-for second-year leap out of Jordan Howden, who was limited to 552 snaps across 17 games. Maybe Starks could help them get younger and more dynamic at that spot even if it isn’t as clear an immediate need.

Starks would be a perfect young player to have lock down the secondary for the next few years in New Orleans. He is a smart player that can do a lot across the defense.. The defensive back had 197 career tackles with six interceptions and 17 passes broken up. He is mostly known for making highlight plays in coverage, but that isn’t all he does.

This was a two-round mock draft, and while Brugler didn’t go into detail about the Saints’ selection at No. 40, he did have them picking Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden. And that might be a controversial decision. Golden has the production you look for from players coming out of a blue-chip program — he led the Longhorns this season with 987 receiving yards and 9 touchdown catches — but he’s got a similar frame to Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed at a listed 6-foot-0 and 195 pounds. He wouldn’t add much of a size element fans have been looking for since Michael Thomas left the team.

Still, Golden was the fourth receiver taken in Brugler’s mock draft (out of seven). He would be an absolute steal in the second round, as some consider him to be in the conversation for the best wide receiver prospect in the draft class. At some point the team needs to just draft the best players available and raise the roster’s overall talent level. Olave’s history of concussions and looming contract issues can’t be ignored. Assuming the Saints pick up his fifth-year option this spring, he’ll be up for free agency in 2027 with Shaheed hitting the market in 2026. Drafting Golden in 2025 could give the Saints a viable successor for at least one of those two receivers.

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Georgia safety Malaki Starks makes NFL draft decision

Georgia safety Malaki Starks is declaring for the 2025 NFL draft. Likely a first round pick

Georgia Bulldogs junior safety Malaki Starks is declaring for the 2025 NFL draft. Starks is projected as a first-round pick and could be the first safety selected in the draft.

Starks, a former five-star recruit, immediately made an impact at Georgia in 2022. In his first career game, Starks made an acrobatic interception of Oregon quarterback Bo Nix. Starks started for the Bulldogs on their undefeated national title team in 2022.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound safety from Jefferson, Georgia, will be difficult to replace. Starks recorded 77 tackles, one interception and three pass deflections in 2024.

In all three of Starks’ seasons at UGA, he totaled at least 50 tackles, one interception and three pass deflections. Starks along with UGA safety Dan Jackson are both expected to enter the NFL draft.

Starks is a two-time SEC champion and one-time national champion. His impact at Georgia goes beyond the game of football.

Starks thanks Georgia fans, coaches, and his teammates via social media. “I am grateful and excited for the next chapter in my life. I am officially declaring for the 2025 NFL draft,” said Starks.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DEgBHn9ydCJ/

New Orleans Saints add playmaking Georgia Bulldogs safety in mock draft

The New Orleans Saints added playmaking Georgia Bulldogs safety Malaki Starks in this 2025 NFL mock draft. The well-rounded DB could be a top-10 pick:

The New Orleans Saints have holes pretty much everywhere on defense, which opens up everything for the 2025 NFL draft.

With the Saints also seemingly locked into a just ok spot in the draft order, going best player available seems like the best strategy moving forward.

That’s exactly what Yahoo Sports‘ Nate Tice and Charles McDonald did in their latest mock draft, selecting Georgia Bulldogs safety Malaki Starks at No. 10 overall for New Orleans.

Here is what the writers had to say about the pick:

“The Saints can’t be picky at this point in their roster building journey. They’ll need help just about everywhere as they try to rebuild while staying cap compliant. Starks is a strong player to add on the backend of their defense who can play any safety position.”

The elite defensive back is known for his highlight reel interceptions, but has become a player that is well-rounded as a defender. He has 193 tackles, with six for a loss, and six interceptions through three seasons. Those numbers will only continue to grow as the Bulldogs advance through the College Football Playoffs.

Starks would be able to moved around the defense and can play above average at either safety spot and in the nickel position. He would be a scheme-versatile, exciting starting point for the next era of the New Orleans defense.

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