Safety Malaki Starks jumped right into a leading role for the Ravens during his rookie season, but the 2025 first-round pick wasn’t thrilled with his overall body of work in 2026.
Starks played the most snaps of anyone on the Baltimore defense and finished the year with 84 tackles and two interceptions, but said last week that he doesn’t “think enough is said about entire draft process and how much of a toll that takes on you coming into the league.” Starks said he’s more comfortable with the process of preparing for the season this time around and has added muscle he believes will help him have “a breakout season or whatever you want to call it.”
“How I played last season was okay, but it’s not the standard I set for myself,” Starks said, via the team’s website. “I know I can play at a higher level. There were plays I should’ve made and didn’t. This season, I’m expecting to make them.”
Safeties were key to new Ravens head coach Jesse Minter’s defense with the Chargers and they’ve also been vital to Baltimore’s defensive success over the years. With Kyle Hamilton and Jaylinn Hawkins on hand in addition to Starks, that figures to be the idea for the coming season as well. That would make a leap for Starks a welcome development over the coming months.
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