ExtremeRavens Posted Wednesday at 11:30 AM Posted Wednesday at 11:30 AM Nearly every player on the Ravens finds time to kneel during practice. Whether it’s in between drills, as they watch other teammates or during post-practice prayers, most will take a brief break from standing in the summer heat. Except safety Malaki Starks. The first-round draft pick didn’t leave his feet during Baltimore’s practice on Friday. Starks was one of the first teammates to high-five backup defenders after drills, constantly spoke with coaches during breaks and made a leaping interception in man coverage against tight end Mark Andrews. Starks chuckled when asked about his unwillingness to leave his feet. Arriving from Georgia coach Kirby Smart’s program, the rookie was surprised by the relative freedom of the NFL. On his first day in Baltimore, he was told to arrive at the facility at 6:30 a.m. “What time do I [really] have to be there?” Starks asked. The team responded by sending the schedule again. “At Georgia, you don’t sit down,” Starks said. “The league is a little different; they’re not as strict. I mean, this is your job.” To get a sense of the rookie’s early impact in Baltimore, The Baltimore Sun followed Starks for Friday’s practice. Here’s what we observed. Starks wakes up at 5:50 a.m. and is at the Ravens’ practice facility by 6:30 a.m. to use the cold tub and hot tub before practice starts. He warmed up with cornerback Nate Wiggins, safety Beau Brade and rookie cornerback Robert Longerbeam. Starks seemed reserved, calmly going through each workout with relative ease. The rookie is notably bigger than most of his defensive back peers, standing at 6 feet 1 and 203 pounds. But his mobility was also evident during a secondary drill, smoothly flipping his hips back and forth. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr said that Starks can play a variety of positions, but the rookie lined up as the deep safety for the majority of practice. During last offseason, Orr was watching the esteemed Georgia defense and other defensive back prospects. He kept circling back to the Bulldogs’ No. 24. It’s part of why Starks earned the “red star” grade from Baltimore’s scouting department, the team’s highest designation for a prospect. “By week or by game plan, he played all around the secondary, and he still was the best player back there,” Orr said. Starks played alongside Wiggins, Brade and cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Jalyn Armour-Davis during team periods. He seemed to be a strong communicator, signaling with his hands and talking to Humphrey after reps. During a break, linebacker Roquan Smith and Starks shared a long conversation. Kyle Hamilton has been mostly absent during OTAs, but the All-Pro safety and two-time All-Pro Humphrey are ideal role models for the rookie. “I think my biggest thing is, I want to learn from Kyle,” Starks said. “He’s the best safety in the league, and Marlon is the best nickel in the league. So just being able to be around those guys and take pieces from their game and figuring out and really just pick their knowledge and be a sponge is huge.” The rookie’s highlight of the day came during the 11-on-11 red zone drill. Starks covered Andrews in man-to-man coverage before intercepting a pass from Cooper Rush. The rest of the defense sprinted after Starks, waving their arms in excitement. Senior secondary coach Chuck Pagano even joined in on the fun, pointing at the offensive coaching staff. But the play wasn’t perfect. Starks said that Orr and Pagano told him that he bit on Andrews’ initial fake, letting his eyes wander to the quarterback. He recovered to make the interception, but it was a teaching moment, Starks said. “When you come into an organization that’s very successful and has very high standards, I think the expectation is known,” Starks said. “And I think they also did a really good job of like, ‘Hey, you’re a rookie, you’re going to make rookie mistakes’. But just being able to be myself and learn.” Ravens safety Malaki Starks spent time with former NFL coach Jon Gruden in preparation for the draft. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) On this Friday, there was another respected coach to offer advice to Starks. Longtime NFL coach Jon Gruden observed the Ravens’ practice last week, speaking to the defense on Thursday. Starks and Gruden share a history, as he trained with Gruden in Tampa, Florida, during the predraft process. During their third meeting, the two were watching tape when Gruden told Starks, “Baltimore, they’re going to get you.” Months later, Gruden approached Starks at practice. The circumstances have changed since their last meeting. Starks is expected to be a key cog in the Ravens’ defense alongside Hamilton, forming one of the most potent safety tandems in the NFL. It seems like a perfect fit on paper. “Hey man, I told you [Baltimore was going to get you],” Gruden told Starks at practice. But the rookie’s trying to keep a broader perspective. “It’s not about when you get here. It’s about how long you stay,” Starks said. “Being able to be here for a while, that’s my goal.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Jane at sjane@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/Sam_Jane230. View the full article Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.