The Las Vegas Raiders lost a big-time player on defense when safety Tre'von Moehrig left in free agency. While they added jack-of-all-trades defensive back Jeremy Chinn and Isaiah Pola-Mao looks solid with a small sample size, head coach Pete Carroll might want to look elsewhere to bolster the position group.
Georgia's Malaki Starks, per Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema, is the only prospect worth spending a first-round pick on. That makes him the likely candidate for the title of safest safety pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
"It feels like a hot take nowadays, but I still believe in Malaki Starks as a first-round safety — and even as one of the best defenders in the class," Sikkema wrote. "He was more up-and-down in his PFF coverage grades and catches allowed in 2024 than preferred, specifically from the slot, but his work as a free safety and in space was still special and of an NFL caliber. He might not be as twitchy as you want from a slot defender, but at least he has the playing experience there and isn’t a liability, even if he gives up some separation and catches. That is more than OK, in my opinion, because of how good he is in space on the backend.
"When asked to cover deep, he has an excellent feel for when and where to drift to warrant no-throws or make plays on the ball. He is also a very reliable tackler from depth, which is tough to do. His missed tackle percentage was below 10% in each of his three years as a starter. I won’t get prospect fatigue with Starks. He is a top-20 player on my board."
The Raiders will likely spend the No. 6 overall pick on Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, a high-end defensive prospect in the front-seven or at the dire need of cornerback, perhaps a top offensive lineman. There is still a chance they take a quarterback, too, however unlikely that seems.
Expect the Raiders to utilize the best player available method, this new regime wants the best possible players. If Starks is fit in their eyes, his name could be called for the silver and black.
