Georgia’s Malaki Starks is likely to be the first safety off the board in the 2025 NFL draft and is projected by most to be a top 15 selection.
Starks never missed a game in three years with the Bulldogs and was a starter as a freshman. In 2024, Starks recorded 77 tackles, four tackles for loss, and an interception. He racked up 197 tackles and six interceptions in his three years at Georgia.
Mel Kiper of ESPN projected in his first mock draft that the Dolphins will use the No. 13 overall pick to select Starks. “He closes well and makes plays on the ball,” Kiper said. “And he’s versatile, lining up as a traditional safety and in the slot.”
Starks is a well-rounded safety who can simply do everything. He has the ability line up anywhere on the field and affect both the opposing run and pass games.
Starks is able to pursue ball carriers with elite tackling ability. He’s also displayed elite coverage skills. While his interception total was down in 2024, Starks recorded 25 more tackles than the previous season. His elite leaping ability will also be something that catches the eyes of scouts during the combine.
Position: Safety
Projected Round: 1st
Height: 6’1
Weight: 205
Fit for Miami
While the offensive line is probably Miami’s most glaring need, selecting Starks would address the biggest issue on defense and possibly mean the Dolphins took the best available player off the board.
Similar to the guard position, Miami is facing a situation where three of their safeties — Jevón Holland, Jordan Poyer, and Elijah Campbell — are all impending free agents. Behind them is Patrick McMorris, a 2024 sixth-round pick.
Safety was a weak position for the Dolphins all of last season even with those three veterans in the lineup. Though the Dolphins secondary didn’t allow many big plays in 2024, the safety group didn’t create a single interception.
Open field tackling has also been a consistent issue for the Dolphins secondary over the last two seasons. According to PFF, Starks missed just 6.9 percent of the tackles he attempted in his college career.
Holland is coming off his worst statistical season in his fourth campaign. It was his first season as a pro without an interception, and he finished with a career-low 42 tackles. PFF gave Holland a 63.0 grade, the lowest of his career.
However, Holland is still expected to be one of, if not the top impending free agent safety this offseason, potentially putting him out of the Dolphins price range. Miami will also probably want an upgrade from Poyer in the safety room.
Selecting Starks would allow the Dolphins to immediately replace Holland or Poyer in the lineup, freeing up general manager Chris Grier to use the cap space to address different holes on the depth chart.
Bottom line
Re-signing Holland is going to be difficult and looks highly unlikely given Miami’s cap situation. Even if the Dolphins restructure contracts and/or make roster cuts, keeping Holland could create more problems than it solves.
One way or another, the Dolphins have to address the safety group in the offseason, whether that’s by re-signing impending free agents, signing new players, or looking to the draft.
There’s a strong chance that the Dolphins will be looking at two new starting safeties in 2025, and the NFL draft provides a couple options for them to immediately address the need.
Starks at the No. 13 pick is a cost friendly solution to the problem. Regardless of what happens with Holland, Starks would be a day one starter in the Miami secondary.
