With a roster in need of upgrades at multiple positions, the Miami Dolphins are a true wildcard in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. They could invest in the offensive line in front of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa or they could add to a defense with more holes than Swiss cheese.
The latest mock draft from Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network has Miami doing the latter, drafting one of the top defensive backs in the nation. He's currently projecting the Dolphins to select Georgia safety/nickel Malaki Starks at pick No. 13 in the first round.
According to Jeremiah, "The further we get into the evaluation process, the more teams I find that are in love with Starks' game. He would be a plug-and-play replacement for Jevon Holland, with the versatility to play as a high safety or nickelback.
Starks played three seasons at Georgia, finishing with 197 tackles (127 solo), six tackles for loss, six interceptions, and 17 pass deflections in 43 career games. He was instrumental in Georgia's 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship and was named First-Team All-American in 2023 and 2024.
After losing Holland to the New York Giants in free agency, Starks would fill a massive hole in Miami's rebuilt secondary. While the Georgia safety didn't test as well as some of his competition (South Carolina's Nick Emmanwori), his natural instincts cannot be taught.
The Dolphins signed safeties Ifeatu Melifonwu and Ashtyn Davis in free agency, but both come with massive question marks. Melifonwu has dealt with injuries in recent seasons, while Davis has been a backup throughout his career. Drafting Starks would give Miami a legitimate weapon at the safety position.
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This story was originally published March 18, 2025 at 1:02 PM.