Among the many areas the Baltimore Ravens need to address this offseason, safety is a top priority.
Although the team boasts one of the NFL’s best safeties in Kyle Hamilton and a promising young player in Ar’Darius Washington, their depth at the position is lacking.
Marcus Williams is almost certain to be released after being a healthy scratch for much of the season. Meanwhile, Sanoussi Kane and Beau Brade, who mainly contributed on special teams as rookies, are unlikely to be ready for a bigger role.
To bolster their depth, the Ravens could turn to the NFL Draft in April to find another safety. ESPN’s Field Yates suggests they will do just that, predicting they’ll select Georgia’s Malaki Starks with the 27th overall pick.
“The Ravens’ defense improved as the season went on, but their secondary allowed too many big plays — 58 completions of 20-plus yards, ranking third-worst in the NFL,” Yates wrote. “I’m watching the safety position this offseason — Marcus Williams was benched for most of the year and will likely be cut. Starks is a versatile player with excellent ball skills and would complement Kyle Hamilton well. He has six career interceptions.”
Starks, 21, has been a standout on a star-studded Georgia defense over the past three years. The Jefferson, Georgia native has accumulated 197 total tackles, 23 passes defended, and six interceptions. He was named a Freshman All-American in 2022, a consensus All-American in 2023, and a first-team All-American in 2024.
Much like Hamilton, Starks is a versatile player with impressive size and athleticism. Although he still needs to improve his run support, his potential to become a standout NFL player is undeniable.
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