Malaki Starks snagged an interception in his college debut and started every game from there in a freshman season that ended with a national championship.
All the safety did in year two with Georgia football is become a consensus first team All-American.
So what does Starks have in mind for year three with the Bulldogs in 2024?
“As far as my game, I want to take it to the next level whether that be anything and everything really,” Starks said. “Vision. Tackling. Playing the ball. Whatever the case may be, I want to take it to the next level.”
More: Names that fit for Georgia football WR hire. Bryan McClendon’s impact as coach & recruiter
More: Here are the 11 Georgia football players invited to this year’s NFL combine
Starks said during Orange Bowl practices that then safeties coach Will Muschamp would more often show him film of his mistakes than what he did well to sharpen his game.
Now Starks will be working with new co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Travaris Robinson, who was hired from Alabama.
Starks was the only player not already in his third college season to make the AP All-America first team defense last season.
He could become the first Georgia two-time All-American safety since John Little in 1985 and 1986 and the first Bulldog defensive player to be a two-time All-American since outside linebacker Jarvis Jones in 2011 and 2012.
So where can Starks get better, coach Kirby Smart was asked on the eve of Georgia’s 63-3 demolition of Florida State to end the 2023 season?
“I think bigger, stronger in the weight room,” Smart said of a player listed at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds. “He’s dealt with some shoulder injuries and some dings. Going to be really important for him to maintain his weight and stay up. He’s a really good athlete. He’s got the ability to play man-to-man. He could probably play…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/georgia-football-american-malaki-starks-090312506.html
Author : Athens Banner-Herald
Publish date : 2024-02-21 09:03:12
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.