They are prepared to risk losing Ar’Darius Washington in 2025 NFL free agency, but the Baltimore Ravens won’t mind taking the chance if a sliding talent falls all the way to them with the 27th pick in this year’s draft.
The faller in question is Georgia safety Malaki Starks, an ideal replacement for Washington. It’s a scenario mapped out by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.
His latest mock has the Ravens pouncing to take Starks at the back end of the first round. As Kiper put it, he’s “mentioned the big-play woes for Baltimore’s defense in the past, and the team didn’t really do anything to fix them in free agency. It allowed 58 plays for 20 or more yards this past season, third most in the NFL, and Baltimore hasn’t added a defensive back. But Starks has the skill set to thrive alongside Kyle Hamilton from the back end. Starks closes well to break up passes and stop the run, and he can be used over the slot, if necessary.”
This pick would rate as a steal, and not just because of Starks’ obvious versatility. Kiper also pointed out how he has “Starks ranked slightly ahead of Nick Emmanwori as the top safety in the class, even though the Ravens get Starks nine picks after Emmanwori was selected in this scenario.”
Getting a best-in-class player at his position almost 10 picks after his closest contemporary would be a minor coup for Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta. Especially since he handed Washington a right of first refusal tender, risking losing the breakout starter for nothing.
Ravens Would Love Malaki Starks Steal
Waiting patiently in their original slot and seeing a prime talent fall to them would be typical of the Ravens on draft day. They’d surely love the chance to steal Starks off the board.
His range and natural flair as a playmaker make the 21-year-old an ideal bookend to All-Pro Hamilton. The latter is also a roving menace who can cause problems for offenses in every area of the field.
Starks played a similar game for the Bulldogs, but he’s become one of this year’s more contentious prospects. Some, including Connor Rogers of PFF College, believe “Starks is wildly under-appreciated at this point of the draft process.
Others, like Doug Farrar of Athlon Sports, think Starks is “Equal parts FTW and WTF.”
Malaki Starks: Equal parts FTW and WTF.
The wild split of opinion probably explains why Starks “is starting to slide down” draft boards, according to Touchdown Wire’s Patrick Conn. He was “struck” by Kiper’s belief Starks will be available as late as 27.
Conn outlined how “The two-time All-American and Freshman All-American was very active for a Georgia Bulldogs defense that develops NFL talent in droves. Starks produced six interceptions to go along with 17 passes defended and 197 combined tackles. He wasn’t afraid to stick his nose in the backfield either with 6.0 TFLs.”
Numbers like those leave Conn convinced pairing Hamilton with Starks “would be a lethal combination on the backend.”
This duo getting to work with Washington is a dream scenario for the Ravens.
Ar’Darius Washington Still Has a Role to Play
Washington earned the right to a longer look after helping to transform Baltimore’s defense following his promotion to the starting lineup last November. What Washington brought to the field was a feverish energy for breaking on the ball from deep.
His appetite for destruction dovetailed brilliantly with Hamilton’s superior athleticism. Yet as good as the latter was along the last line of defense, Hamilton makes a greater impact closer to the line of scrimmage.
Putting Starks next to Washington would allow the Ravens to get increasingly creative with a more attacking role for Hamilton. A three-safety set this gifted and flexible would instantly become the go-to personnel package for defensive coordinator Zach Orr.
The Ravens have rarely been reluctant to draft to a strength, so if Starks is still there at 27, he’ll be too good to miss. Particularly if another team makes Washington a pre-draft offer he can’t refuse.
