Malaki Starks Signs Letter of Intent

Georgia locks down the commitment of a top defensive back from the state of Georgia.

In a recruiting class that was heavily impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that sheltered much of the world, including high sports for almost two years, it disallowed many of the nation’s underrated prospects to be seen by college programs. It also served as a disadvantage for many of the none skill positions like the offensive line. 

Meanwhile, the secondary is a position group that is emerging as of late in the 2022 recruiting class as a strength of the class. Just one year after losing more than seven contributors from the secondary, not returning a single career start at cornerback, Georgia knew it needed to add depth in the secondary. 

Jefferson athlete Malaki Starks became one of the very first dominoes to fall in Georgia’s class in the secondary. The five-star prospect according to 247Sports, and No. 28 overall prospect in the class according to the SI-99 list, Starks could enter a Georgia secondary without both of its starters, Lewis Cine and Christopher Smith. 

But Starks isn’t your everyday safety prospect as he brings two-way ability, something that Georgia made a focus of his recruitment. He projects as a safety defensively, while offensively just get him the ball and let him make plays. That appears to be the game plan for Georgia moving forward.

Starks is more explosive on tape with the ball in his hands than any other threat available in the 2022 class. He pulls away from would-be tacklers with ease, yet is powerful upon contact, and it paired with elite horizontal agility and the ability to regain speed quickly.

On defense, he's a striker. Those explosive traits allow him to get to places on the field that others simply cannot, and when he arrives on contact it's devastating.

SI All-American ranked him as the No. 3 ball carrier in the 2022 class. 

Defensive projections and possibilities aside, Starks profiles as one of America’s top running backs and overall play-makers with the ball in his hands. Against strong competition in the Peach State, there is an effortlessness with his running production from the backfield, even while playing quarterback in 2020 when the whole stadium knew he was toting the rock. Starks just clocked a PR in the 100 meter dash with a 10.55-second mark on May 8. It came about a week before claiming the Georgia state championship with a 24-9 long jump, a top-five mark in the country this year. To say Starks is explosive is an understatement, evident last year as he ran for 1,537 yards and 24 scores as a junior. With power and elite quickness, Starks isn't just a speed prospect with his frame, making him among the toughest to attempt to tackle in America.

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