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Baltimore Ravens believe Malaki Starks can be the perfect safety partner for Kyle Hamilton

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The Baltimore Ravens are wasting no time getting safety Malaki Starks involved — and early signs suggest they made the right call drafting him in the first round, because based on just how things are going, he just might deliver. According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, the rookie out of Georgia has already earned a lot of praise from the coaching staff and looks like a perfect fit next to star safety Kyle Hamilton . The team believes that together, they could form one of the best safety tandems in the NFL.

“Starks has wowed team officials with his leadership qualities, work ethic and intelligence. They believe he’ll be an impact player immediately”, Zrebiec wrote in a piece examining the Ravens’ offseason upgrades and concerns.
The Baltimore Ravens’ challenges at the safety position end with Malaki Starks?The Baltimore Ravens have struggled to find a long-term partner for Kyle Hamilton in the secondary. Geno Stone showed promise last season but left in free agency. Marcus Williams didn’t work out as planned. So now, all eyes are on Malaki Starks to step in and solidify the position.


Depth is also a concern after veteran Ar’Darius Washington tore his Achilles. He’s expected to miss most of the season. Zrebiec notes there’s hope in backup Sanoussi Kane stepping up if needed. But ideally, the Ravens won't have to rely too heavily on backups if the Hamilton-Starks duo stays healthy.


Kyle Hamilton is already a two-time All-Pro in just three seasons. While he didn’t have as many highlight-reel plays last year, he still posted over 100 tackles, one interception, nine passes defended and forced two fumbles. With a reliable partner beside him, his impact could grow even more now.
All that we know about Malaki Starks’ Georgia football stats Malaki Starks, meanwhile, showed plenty of playmaking potential at Georgia, racking up six interceptions and six tackles for loss over three seasons. Lining up alongside elite talent like Kyle Hamilton and cornerback Marlon Humphrey could give him the freedom to make even more plays.
Pittsburgh Steelers eyed Malaki Starks before drafting defensive tackle Derrick Harmon?There’s also an interesting backstory involving the Pittsburgh Steelers. Before the draft, they looked into several safeties — including spending time with Malaki Starks at Georgia’s Pro Day. That may have hinted at their decision to later trade Minkah Fitzpatrick, though the move didn’t come until months later. Instead of grabbing Starks, the Pittsburgh Steelers opted to draft defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, leaving the Ravens to grab one of the draft’s top defensive safeties.
What can Malaki Starks do for the Baltimore Ravens?“If Starks is as good as the Ravens think he is, they’ll have significantly improved at this position”, Zrebiec further wrote. “It won’t take much to improve the safety play from the first half of last season,” he added.

Statistically, the Ravens have room to grow. Last season, they ranked 31st in passing yards allowed, 19th in passing touchdowns given up, and 17th in interceptions. They were also 30th in pass attempts faced — meaning teams didn’t throw often but were still successful when they did.

Baltimore believes Malaki Starks can help turn that around — and sooner rather than later.

Also Read: Nick Sirianni says staying focused every single day is boring, but success takes what it takes | NFL News - Times of India
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