In a passing league, having a strong secondary is important these days. The Los Angeles Rams have learned that all too well, finishing 20th in pass defense over the last two seasons, leading to the possibility of them addressing the need for help in their secondary early on in next week’s draft.
In a different twist on mock drafts, NFL.com’s Adam Rank provided what every team should do during the opening round of the 2025 NFL Draft, rather than what he thinks they will do. For the Rams, that means selecting Georgia standout safety Malaki Starks at pick No. 26 in a move that could help bolster Los Angeles’ secondary.
One of the great things you’ve done over the years is draft the best player available, going all the way back to Aaron Donald and Todd Gurley, and you’re going to do that here with Starks. I’m not sure safety is where you have the biggest need, but you do need players who can come in and contribute immediately. To pull closer to the Eagles in the NFC, you need to make moves like this.
A three-time All-American, including a consensus selection in 2023, Starks ranks second among safeties on ESPN’s draft board and is the 39th overall prospect. He finished his career with 197 tackles, 17 passes defended, and six interceptions over 43 games played for the Bulldogs. During his freshman year in 2022, Starks helped Georgia capture its fourth national championship, recording 44 tackles, two interceptions, and seven pass deflections while appearing in all 15 games.
Georgia’s Malaki Starks is a fluid athlete with really impressive ball skills + feel for routes. Great job staying in phase here before high pointing perfectly for an INT.
He had the sixth-most coverage stops (10) + 10th-most forced incompletions (5) among SEC safeties last year pic.twitter.com/B4Q4TECtAU
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) April 17, 2025
Malaki Starks Scouting Report – NFL.com Lance Zierlein
Three-year starter with reams of high-leverage games on his résumé. Starks is a versatile safety with the size and athleticism to eliminate contested catches and the speed and ball skills to shine when the action travels deep. Connection to the route is inconsistent in man and he’s baited out of position by misdirection, but better discipline and anticipation should clean that up. He’s not a true force player near the line and his pursuit angles can be raggedy but he gets guys down when he’s in position. Starks has feast-or-famine moments on tape and disappointed with his short-area testing at the NFL Scouting Combine. He ran well in Indianapolis, though, and was impressive in interviews with teams. He is a future starter as a movable back-end piece whose consistency will determine his floor/ceiling.
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This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: 2025 NFL mock draft: Rams take standout safety Malaki Starks at No. 26
In a passing league, having a strong secondary is important these days. The Los Angeles Rams have learned that all too well, finishing 20th in pass defense over the last two seasons, leading to the possibility of them addressing the need for help in their secondary early on in next week’s draft.
In a different twist on mock drafts, NFL.com’s Adam Rank provided what every team should do during the opening round of the 2025 NFL Draft, rather than what he thinks they will do. For the Rams, that means selecting Georgia standout safety Malaki Starks at pick No. 26 in a move that could help bolster Los Angeles’ secondary.
One of the great things you’ve done over the years is draft the best player available, going all the way back to Aaron Donald and Todd Gurley, and you’re going to do that here with Starks. I’m not sure safety is where you have the biggest need, but you do need players who can come in and contribute immediately. To pull closer to the Eagles in the NFC, you need to make moves like this.
A three-time All-American, including a consensus selection in 2023, Starks ranks second among safeties on ESPN’s draft board and is the 39th overall prospect. He finished his career with 197 tackles, 17 passes defended, and six interceptions over 43 games played for the Bulldogs. During his freshman year in 2022, Starks helped Georgia capture its fourth national championship, recording 44 tackles, two interceptions, and seven pass deflections while appearing in all 15 games.
Georgia’s Malaki Starks is a fluid athlete with really impressive ball skills + feel for routes. Great job staying in phase here before high pointing perfectly for an INT.
He had the sixth-most coverage stops (10) + 10th-most forced incompletions (5) among SEC safeties last year pic.twitter.com/B4Q4TECtAU
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) April 17, 2025
Malaki Starks Scouting Report – NFL.com Lance Zierlein
Three-year starter with reams of high-leverage games on his résumé. Starks is a versatile safety with the size and athleticism to eliminate contested catches and the speed and ball skills to shine when the action travels deep. Connection to the route is inconsistent in man and he’s baited out of position by misdirection, but better discipline and anticipation should clean that up. He’s not a true force player near the line and his pursuit angles can be raggedy but he gets guys down when he’s in position. Starks has feast-or-famine moments on tape and disappointed with his short-area testing at the NFL Scouting Combine. He ran well in Indianapolis, though, and was impressive in interviews with teams. He is a future starter as a movable back-end piece whose consistency will determine his floor/ceiling.
Follow Rams Wire on X and Facebook for more coverage!
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: 2025 NFL mock draft: Rams take standout safety Malaki Starks at No. 26
