Georgia safety Malaki Starks was named a “perfect” 2025 NFL draft prospect for the Indianapolis Colts by Pro Football Focus.
Starks would fill a do-it-all role on the back-end of the Colts’ defense.
As noted by PFF, Starks was versatile, able to line up all over the defensive backfield, and effective against both the run and passing games.
Over the last two years, he’s allowed a completion rate of just 58% on 90 targets with four interceptions and 12 forced incompletions.
Then against the run, Starks is “even more impressive,” as PFF wrote, and has proven to be a reliable tackler along with recording 22 run-stops during the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
For more on Starks’ game, here is a snippet of what Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network had to say in his scouting report:
“Starks perfectly fits the profile of the do-it-all defender. His technical prowess, spatial reasoning skills, closing range, and recognition are deadly traits in two-high and single-high. But he can also man up receivers as an off-man slot defender, close gaps, and enforce in support.”
For the second offseason in a row, general manager Chris Ballard was again answering questions about the play of the secondary.
This was a group where there was some development, but overall, the Colts’ ranked near the bottom in completion rate, pass deflections, and yards per pass attempt.
At the safety position specifically, in addition to bolstering the level of play at that position, depth will be a big need as well with only Nick Cross and Rodney Thomas under contract currently for the 2025 season.
“We’ve got to get better,” said Ballard about the cornerback and safety positions.
