He’s entering only his second season as a former first-round pick in the NFL draft, but Malaki Starks is already facing a role change for the Baltimore Ravens. The change is designed to give the deep safety more work in a vital area of defense.
Starks can “get more chances closer to the line of scrimmage to disrupt the offense, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.” This is no-small change after Starks “played heavy post safety last season.”
The Ravens have a new fit for the post-safety spot, a role occupied by the defender who patrols the last line of deep coverage. It’s former New England Patriots starting free safety Jaylinn Hawkins, whom Fowler quoted calling Starks “very instinctual, rangy, long and can cover.”
Those qualities usually belong on the back end, but the Ravens have more flexibility with their three-safety packages this season. Flexibility based upon Hawkins taking over as an opportunistic enforcer in deep coverage, one whose appetite for destruction has already earned him strong words from rookie head coach Jesse Minter.
The latter has a new plan to justify his prediction about Starks’ future. Minter can unleash the ex-Georgia standout’s natural versatility and keen playmaking instincts more often.
Ravens Still Searching for Malaki Starks’ Best Role
This isn’t the first time the Ravens have planned to move Starks around. A roving brief suits the dynamic athlete who played both safety spots, along with outside and slot cornerback for the Bulldogs.
Operating closer to the line of scrimmage is still a notable adjustment for Starks. The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder has the right physical traits for a more attacking role, but he hasn’t been a box safety too often since entering the pros.
Starks was simply too valuable in single-high coverage as a rookie. He made plays like this interception against the Miami Dolphins, his maiden pick in the NFL.
Minter’s influence and expertise will help Starks’ be just as impactful near the line of scrimmage. The Ravens’ first-year head coach got creative in effective ways with All-Pro Derwin James as defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Chargers.
James’ multi-faceted assignments provide the blueprint for how the Ravens might use Starks in Year 2. Particularly when “James was one of five defenders in 2025 to align on the line of scrimmage, at linebacker and at safety for at least 100 snaps each James had a 12.9 blitz percentage and 16 QB pressures, the 2nd-most among DBs (min. 25 pass rushes),” per NFL+.
Perhaps Starks won’t become a de facto linebacker, but he could stack in the slot more often. Where his ability to body and blanket inside receivers will be an asset, especially when combined with the downhill aggression of Baltimore’s other do-all safety.
Three-Safety Set Key to New Defense
Starks and Hawkins offer range and a knack for getting their hands on the ball, but Kyle Hamilton is still the alpha at arguably the most loaded spot on the Ravens’ roster.
Hamilton will still be the fulcrum of the defense under Minter and new coordinator Anthony Weaver. They are set to deploy the three-time Pro Bowler “as the big nickel,” according to Fowler.
The hybrid position is a mix of linebacker, box safety and slot corner. Letting Starks also adopt those roles will keep him on the same developmental career path as Hamilton.
Putting Starks in similar positions to Hamilton will also give the Ravens two chameleon’s up front. Offenses will need to identify their alignments and make educated guesses about their post-snap intentions.
Establishing this much confusion is an obvious advantage for the Ravens, and one of the best reasons for leaning on three-safety packages. Hawkins and Starks showed how effectively the scheme can work during back-to-back wins for the defense against star quarterback Lamar Jackson and the offense during training camp on Sunday, August 9.
Starks made “a nice PBU in the end zone on first down. Lamar Jackson was looking for Durham Smythe on a crosser,” per The Baltimore Sun’s Sam Cohn. He also reported how “On third down, Jaylinn Hawkins blitzed off the edge and the play was blown dead for what would have been a sack, holding the offense to a FG.”
Both plays revealed how the flexibility of their three primary safeties helps the Ravens disrupt an offense in multiple ways. Getting Starks closer to the ball will only create extra destruction.
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