Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell with Georgia Bulldogs safety Malaki Starks after he is selected by the Baltimore Ravens as the number 27 pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Baltimore Ravens Provide Inside Look on Why They Drafted Georgia's Malaki Starks

Originally posted on Georgia Bulldogs on SI
By Jonathan Williams | Last updated May 19, 2025 6:37 PM ET

The Baltimore Ravens provided an inside look on why they drafted Georgia's Malaki Starks.

The Georgia Bulldogs had 13 total players selected during this year's draft, and three of them were selected in the first round. One of those first-round picks was safety Malaki Starks, as the Baltimore Ravens called his name in the later part of day one.

The Ravens have since posted a video including some of the conversations they had on Starks, and why they felt like he was such a great fit for the organization. It's worth noting that one of the coaches lobbying for Starks was offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Georgia's OC from 2020-2022.

.@starks_malaki's Combine interview had the Ravens impressed

Wired tonight ➡️ https://t.co/QAMrHDbpc4 pic.twitter.com/JIkt89Osme
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) May 19, 2025

"He's on point, right off the bat," Monken said. "I mean, his eyes are wide awake, he's smart... Malaki is a stud. You can tell in recruiting him to Georgia, you can tell he's wide awake. Great family. Stud. This guy is different. Like whatever skill set he's got, he's gonna maximize it."

Starks did just that during his time at Georgia. He was a three-year starter for the Bulldogs, he helped lead the team to a national title in 2022 as a true freshman and was a 3x first-team All-American selection. He finished his career with 197 tackles, six tackles for loss and six interceptions.

Monken was a beloved coach while at the University of Georgia as he helped lead them to back-to-back titles, and fans will likely appreciate seeing him still pushing for his former players and showing love to the Dawgs.

This article first appeared on Georgia Bulldogs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: