The Baltimore Ravens have built what should be one of the most talented safety rooms in the NFL. It is expected to be one of their superpowers in 2026.
Kyle Hamilton is an unstoppable force, Malaki Starks made solid strides in his rookie campaign, and the team signed Jaylinn Hawkins to create an exceptional trio. The thing is, it could somehow be way better than some anticipate. If Starks can emerge in year two, that will be three contributors operating at the highest level.
Starks had a great showing in the offseason program, and as he ramps up ahead of training camp, he’s returning to a trusted source to hopefully reach new heights: Super Bowl-winning head coach Jon Gruden.
In a Q&A with Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Starks spoke about what it’ll mean to get back to the grind with Gruden.
“I’m going to get back with Jon Gruden [in the coming weeks]. I trained with him before the draft, so I’m going to get back with him and pick his brain a little bit,” Starks said. “Just to learn from a guy like him and have him as a resource, I think it will be huge.”
Malaki Starks could truly transform the Baltimore Ravens secondary
Starks has already become a pretty solid starter on the Ravens’ defense. Sure, he has struggled at times, but when you’re a rookie playing in a lost system like Zach Orr’s, you have to take some of his miscues with a grain of salt. And when you’re a deep safety like Starks is, it’s usually a good thing when your number isn't called to make a play consistently. Simply put, he held it down well in the backend in 2025.
Entering his sophomore season in the league, the former Georgia star is widely expected to be one of the top breakout candidates for Baltimore.
Starks gets to play within Jesse Minter's masterful defense, and after showing game-changing traits in his NFL audition, that's super exciting. He can be a trusted ballhawk on deep shots, as he notched two interceptions last year, has been praised for his communication, and has also exhibited a tremendous football IQ. Those traits are still developing, though, so opting to continue working with Gruden could be the best decision Starks has ever made. Fans could see him start to take off.
Obviously, Gruden is one of the best offensive minds to ever grace the sport. He’s known for being a quarterback guru. At first glance, it might seem slightly odd to see a rising defender work with an offensive-minded coach, but it’s all part of the plan. Starks is going to use the opportunity to get inside the mind of your typical NFL quarterback. It’ll help him digest each play that much better.
And given that Starks is a safety, it just makes too much sense to get in the film room with Gruden. Safety is one of the positions on defense that has quarterback-like qualities. Especially deep safety. When Starks is dropping back, he sees everything. The quarterback going through his progressions, routes, blocking assignments, offensive eye candy. You name it, Starks can see the entire world from back there. It might feel overwhelming, and that time with Gruden should be spent learning how to think like a quarterback and offensive coordinator. It should pay off in a big way.
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