Ravens' Malaki Starks Receives DROY Prediction

Baltimore Ravens safety Malaki Starks may have been a late first-round pick, but expectations for him are as high as for anyone else in the class.

The former Georgia Bulldog was not only a three-year starter for one of college football's stingiest defenses, but a bona fide star for said defense. Starks had six interceptions over his time at Georgia, three of which came during his first-team All-American season in 2023. He seems to be a pro-ready player, and with Ar'Darius Washington set to miss most of the year following an Achilles tear, the Ravens need him to be ready.

Sports Illustrated's Connor Orr believes Starks will live up to his lofty expectations, as he predicted the safety to win Defensive Rookie of the Year over several other strong contenders.

"The safety out of Georgia will run up the score with a top-five interception total in the league and flex his all-around playmaking ability in a Baltimore defense that steamrolls opponents, finishing fourth in EPA per play—a sizable jump from an 11th-place finish last season," Orr wrote.

A top-five interception total is certainly a high bar for Starks. Based on past seasons, he'd likely need at least five or six picks to break into the top five league-wide. Rookies generally don't get a ton of interceptions, but Houston Texans safety Calen Bullock had five last season, so it's certainly possible.

If Starks does emerge as a ballhawk, he could become the first Raven to win Defensive Rookie of the Year since Terrell Suggs in 2003.

As a bonus, Orr also predicted the Ravens to win the AFC North decisively, which would make them the first team to win the division three years in a row.

"While the Bengals are much improved and the Steelers may or may not have Aaron Rodgers, the Ravens are the only sensible choice to win one of the toughest divisions in the NFL," Orr wrote. "Prepare your favorite Lamar Jackson legacy arguments!"