With the No. 27 overall pick, the Baltimore Ravens select S Malaki Starks. The Baltimore Beatdown crew give their reactions.
With the No. 27 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens select Malaki Starks, safety, Georgia. Below are the reactions from the contributors of Baltimore Beatdown.
All along, mock drafts believed Starks was going to be the pick and now it’s become reality.
The addition of Starks immediately bolsters the Ravens’ defense back to their dynamic glory with three-safety packages. Starks demonstrates versatility and high football IQ, which will be a perfect complement to Kyle Hamilton and Ar’Darius Washington. Pairing Starks and Hamilton is a vicious combo that grants Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr the opportunity to deploy either of them on any given play to the line of scrimmage, drop back and/or blitz. — Kyle Phoenix
Starks is a no-brainer selection and home run pick for the Ravens. As a highly-ranked prospect from a top-tier program, Starks falling to No. 27 is a godsend for the Ravens. He fills an immediate need as an all-around safety who will add versatility to the secondary. He pairs perfectly alongside Kyle Hamilton, who will now once again be able to move around in more spots on defense. Starks is a short-term boost and long-term insurance given Ar’Darius Washington’s uncertain status beyond 2025. — Frank Platko
The Ravens needed another safety to allow Kyle Hamilton to move closer to the line of scrimmage and with Ar’Darius Washington currently slated to be a free agent in 2026. Starks gives Baltimore’s defense a ballhawk on the backend of the defense again after parting ways with free safety Marcus Williams. The pairing of Hamilton and Starks gives defensive coordinator a versatile set of weapons to deploy against opposing offenses. With the number of elite quarterbacks the Ravens have to face in the AFC, loading up on defensive backs is a smart choice for Baltimore. — Dustin Cox
Starks was probably easily their top-ranked prospect remaining. After being the most commonly mocked player to the Ravens, they end up getting the guy they’ve been linked to from the start. Starks brings similar versatility to Kyle Hamilton but doesn’t excel in as many spots. A massive playmaker in college, the Ravens should mostly play Starks as the free safety, his best spot at Georgia. This will allow Hamilton to move around while still having the versatility to occasionally mix up looks with Starks and Ar’Darius Washington. — Zach Canter