Clifton Brown

ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. remains bullish on Georgia safety Malaki Starks as a great fit for the Ravens.

In his most recent mock draft,Kiper stuck with Baltimore taking Starks at No. 27, with talented safety Nick Emmanwori of South Carolina projected to go No. 19 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Kiper wouldn't be surprised if Emmanwori is the first safety selected, but Starks is Kiper's favorite.

"He's my No. 1 safety," Kiper said during a Wednesday conference call with national media.

"I mocked Emmanwori ahead of him (Starks). He had the great year, and he tested great, Nick did. Malaki is not going to test great, and he didn't have the phenomenal year because they moved him around. (But) when he can do what he does, and just lock into that safety spot with his ball skills, his awareness, the way he tackles. I think the Ravens would be a great fit."

The Ravens are looking for a deep safety who would allow All-Pro Kyle Hamilton more freedom to roam and take advantage of his unique versatility. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Emmanwori displayed phenomenal athleticism at the NFL Scouting Combine, and a Hamilton-Emmanwori combination would give Baltimore a unique safety combination.

"He tested so great," Kiper said of Emmanwori. "He's not Kyle Hamilton, but he brings that kind of size and that unique physical trait."

However, Kiper said Starks' ability to read and react makes him a special player whose skillset would be an asset to Baltimore's defense.

"Malaki's got a great football IQ," Kiper said. "He's going to be a whale of a pick for somebody. As a Raven fan here, I would love to see him here in Baltimore. Will he get there? Maybe he could be. Some like Emmanwori. Some like Starks. I'm a Starks guy."

If the Ravens don't take a safety in Round 1, Kiper thinks they can still find quality at the position in Round 2. He mentioned Kevin Winston Jr. of Penn State, Xavier Watts of Notre Dame, Andrew Mukuba of Texas and Jonas Sanker of Virginia as potential second-round targets.

Watts had 13 interceptions the past two seasons at Notre Dame, and he played next to Hamilton in 2021. Their past chemistry would help Watts' transition into Baltimore's defense.

Winston suffered a season-ending knee injury in September but he is returning to health and reportedly participated in the Washington Commanders' local Pro Day on Tuesday (April 8).

"Kevin Winston Jr. was a heck of a player at Penn State," Kiper said. "He was primed to have a big year at Penn State. I think Kevin Winston Jr. is resurfacing and kind of reestablishing himself as a second-round candidate.

"Xavier Watts doesn't run as well as Winston Jr., but he's really instinctive, he's got great ball skills, he had 13 interceptions over the last two years. He would be in that mix in the second round."