As football fans, we can often be a bit too reactive. A rookie has a few bad games, and we slap the "bust" label on them. They impress in their debut, and they're suddenly a superstar. More often than not, it's best to give first-year players some time to breathe in the NFL before an official judgment is made. Baltimore Ravens fans are quickly learning that at this very moment.
That seems to be the case with Ravens rookie safety Malaki Starks. The first-round draft pick struggled early in the season, causing fans to worry about his long-term outlook.
But in the last month, he's begun to turn things around. He's been able to string together some of his best performances of the year, reminding fans why they were so excited about him over the offseason.
Ravens rookie Malaki Starks is quietly turning his season around
When the Ravens took Starks at the back end of the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the pick was praised as another masterclass by general manager Eric DeCosta. The safety was seen as a surefire prospect and seemed to fit perfectly in Baltimore's defense.
Starks, along with the rest of the Ravens' defense, had a rough start to the year. He was missing tackles at a concerning rate and wasn't showing the coverage instincts that made him such an exciting prospect. The defense as a whole took a major step back after a strong finish to the 2024 season.
But over the last few weeks, the rookie has taken major steps forward. He's finally looked comfortable in coverage, consistently finding himself in the right place at the right time. He even had back-to-back gamess with interceptions in Weeks 9 and 10.
The improvement from Starks, along with the addition of Alohi Gilman, has allowed Kyle Hamilton to move closer to the line of scrimmage. Finally, the Ravens' defense as a whole seems to be functioning as planned, transforming the unit back into the juggernaut that it was expected to be before the season kicked off.
If the rookie can continue his elite performances through the rest of the year, he may even earn a spot in this year's Pro Bowl. Whether that becomes a reality or not, Starks is beginning to prove that he was more than worth the pick that the Ravens used to get him. It's starting to look like he'll be a staple of Baltimore's defensive secondary for years to come.