The Baltimore Ravens brought in another strong rookie class in the 2025 NFL Draft, but are still waiting for their highly coveted selections to break out. Late round picks Teddye Buchanan and Aeneas Peebles are making a difference on the defensive side, and Tyler Loop and LaJohntay Wester are bringing life back to Baltimore’s special teams unit.
However, the team’s top two picks, Malaki Starks and Mike Green, are enduring growing pains through their first two games of NFL action. The two will play crucial roles in Week 3 against the Detroit Lions, though.
For Green, he steps foot into the spotlight with Kyle Van Noy out due to a hamstring injury. He could take the field with the starting unit. In Starks’ case, he has been starting since the season opener, but Detroit’s electric offense puts Starks in a significant spot where he must rise to the occasion.
Malaki Starks could be the wild card that tips the scales vs. Lions
Starks has been graded as a below-average defender in the early going. He ranks as the 81st-best safety, per Pro Football Focus, registering a 54.2 overall grade. These troubles are expected for a rookie expected to take on starting reps from the get-go, especially at a position like safety.
The 21-year-old will have to grow up quickly by the time Monday Night Football kicks off. Detroit’s offense thrives on attacking the middle of the field and stretching it vertically. They are known for creating explosive plays, a tendency that made them the league’s highest-scoring offense by a wide margin with 564 points in 2024.
Although former Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson is now with the Chicago Bears, the Lions' offense is still potent. They dropped 52 on the Bears in Week 2, and still are a threat to break the game open whenever the ball is snapped. Playmakers like Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Jameson Williams are just a few players who can take it the distance at any time, and Baltimore will rely heavily on Starks to diminish those splash plays.
While Starks has yet to make any highlight-reel-worthy plays, he has been doing his job. His overall PFF grade may not reflect that, but he has been the intelligent deep safety the Ravens need. He is limiting deep passing plays and is a stout run defender, thus far, posting a 71.5 run defense grade, according to PFF.
“Where has Malaki Starks been at?”
— Yuri (@Yuri_Ravens) September 16, 2025
Center field. Just watched all 47 of his coverage snaps, 90% of them he was taking 10-12 yard drops as soon as it snapped. Matched Njoku well on an underneath route.
Baited Flacco a few times. No passes over his head. Good job pic.twitter.com/ngxzwNBHo5
He is playing the center field role well, but the Lions are sure to attack him. Williams is their go-to weapon on verticals, and Starks will have to help contain him over the top and limit separation. He also needs to take smart angles as a tackler when St. Brown inevitably breaks free after the catch. It is no easy task, but for a player with Starks’ potential, he is capable of it.