Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Buzz growing around Buccaneers’ projected first-round pick

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By Dustin Lewis | Last updated Apr 18, 2025 9:00 AM ET

One of the most exciting stages of the offseason is right around the corner with the 2025 NFL Draft up next on the calendar.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in a pretty good position going into the draft but there are still some areas on both sides of the ball that the franchise could address.

A popular name that has been projected to the Buccaneers in recent weeks has been Georgia safety Malaki Starks. There was some thought he could go in the top 15, however, there looks like a better and better chance that he will be on the board when Tampa Bay picks at No. 19 overall.

The buzz is only continuing to grow with six days until draft night. Earlier this week , NBC broadcaster and football personality, Cris Collinsworth, became the latest analyst to connect Starks to the Buccaneers.

"A lot of people have Malaki Starks, the Georgia safety, in the top-10 [to the Buccaneers]," Collinsworth said. "From a talent standpoint, he ran 4.5 I believe and that's ok but for a safety, if you're gonna go top-10, I want more of a free safety. Teams will pay for somebody that will sit in the middle and keep touchdowns off the board. Now, he played a lot of man coverage, Brian Branch kind of guy, right?"

"He played a lot of man coverage in the slot and matched up against slot wide receivers around the league so I felt like he saw the best, he was able to hang in there in man coverage against those guys but I thought his best work was down around the line of scrimmage and for me to go top-10 with a safety, I want somebody that will sit in the middle of the field," Collinsworth continued. "Not everybody may feel that way so it's not a knock on his talent but more of where I think his specific skillset is."

Pairing Starks with All-Pro Antoine Winfield Jr. would allow the Buccaneers to keep his former Georgia teammate Tykee Smith in the slot.

Starks had a career year in 2024, totaling 77 tackles, four tackles for loss, three pass deflections and one interception. He was named a second-team All-American and a first-team All-SEC selection.

The previous season, Starks earned first-team All-American and first-team All-SEC honors. He won a National Championship with the Bulldogs as a true freshman in 2022, recording one tackle in Georgia's 65-7 victory against TCU.

This article first appeared on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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