Is it too early to try to be honing in on who the Colts could select in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft? Of course it is. But the mock draft machine never stops, and a popular name that keeps appearing for the Colts is Georgia safety Malaki Starks.
Listed at 6-1 – 205 pounds, Starks is a very good athlete and would bring a well-rounded skill set to the safety position for the Colts. In two seasons at Georgia, Starks has primarily lined up as a free safety but has 329 snaps in the box and 393 from the slot as well.
Over that two-year span, Starks has been an excellent tackler, missing only eight of his 130 attempts. He’s an ascending player and saw improved play across the board during his sophomore season.
Starks went from allowing a completion rate of 61 percent to just 51 percent this past year. He allowed just 11.1 yards per catch compared to 16.9, had increased ball production, and his passer rating when targeted plummeted to 61.6. Starks also graded out as one of the best run defenders by PFF’s metrics as well.
For more on Starks’ game, here is what PFF had to say:
“He is an outstanding run defender, tackler and coverage player who also boasts elite athleticism for the position. Starks ranked in the top 10 among Power Five safeties in both forced incompletions (tied for sixth) and run-defense grade (seventh) in 2023.”
Safety very well could be a top need for the Colts during next year’s draft. One could easily argue it was a big need this year after inconsistent play and too many big plays were surrendered on the back end in 2023.
Julian Blackmon will again be a free agent next offseason, adding to the uncertainty, not to mention that there are current question marks around what to expect from Nick Cross and Rodney Thomas this season, one of whom will be Blackmon’s running mate.
In the mock drafts that have the Colts picking Starks, Indianapolis is selecting in the mid-teens, just as they did this past April.
Of course, a lot will change over the next 10 months: players will fall, players will rise, and team needs will be adjusted. However, as we inch closer to the college football season, it makes sense to keep an eye on Starks, given his play and the potential need the Colts could have.