Roquan Smith is one of the best linebackers in football. But if you’re just box-score perusing, you might not know it. His 2024 season opened with some uncharacteristic turbulence, and Pro Football Focus' Mason Cameron's preseason rankings reflect it — dropping him into "Tier 2" and to fourth overall among all linebackers heading into 2025.
But context matters — it wasn’t a drop built on regression. It was about context. The Baltimore Ravens' secondary was a revolving door through much of the first half of last season, forcing Kyle Hamilton to stay deep and leaving Smith stretched thin. When things stabilized on the back end (thank you Ar'Darius Washington), Smith’s game snapped right back into place.
Baltimore knows exactly what they have in Smith. He’s still the centerpiece of a defense built around physicality and speed. And with a new first-round safety in the fold, everything might be aligning to get the most out of him again.
Malaki Starks could be the piece that unleashes Roquan Smith
Turns out circumstance played a major factor in the rankings. Here’s what PFF’s Cameron wrote:
“On the surface, Smith’s 66.8 PFF overall grade in 2024 would seem like a drop that would push him further down this list, but the personnel around him was a contributing factor. After Kyle Hamilton’s move back to safety in Week 11, Smith returned to form. His 81.8 PFF coverage grade from that point on ranked fourth at the position — much closer to his usual level of play.”
That’s the kind of turnaround that gets noticed. And it’s not hard to trace the root cause. The minute Hamilton was freed up to play closer to the line — thanks in part to the emergence of Ar’Darius Washington — everything around Smith started to click again. The communication improved, the spacing looked cleaner, and the entire unit moved with a sense of rhythm that had been missing early in the year.
Now imagine giving Hamilton that freedom full-time. That’s what Malaki Starks could deliver.
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The rookie safety brings a versatile, ball-hawking skillset that fits cleanly into Baltimore’s defensive structure. More importantly, it should let Hamilton operate in his most natural role: hovering in the slot, blitzing off the edge, and shutting down tight ends in space. That kind of presence up front is exactly what Smith thrives alongside.
With Malaki Starks in the fold, the Ravens can keep doing what works, letting their stars do what they do best. If the secondary holds up, expect Smith to return to form. Everything just looks more connected when the back end is settled. The communication clicks, the rhythm returns, and Smith can get back to controlling games the way this defense is built for.