Ravens Executive Shares First Round Draft Strategy

The Baltimore Ravens took safety Malaki Starks with its first pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, sparking a long line of acclaimed picks. The Ravens' chief decision maker gave his thoughts on what went into the pivotal pick.

Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In the most recent episode of "The Lounge," a Baltimore Ravens-based podcast that the franchise directly sponsored, Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta joined the set to talk about how he applied his drafting philosophies to this most recent NFL Draft.

The football fanbase has spent the last week heaping praise onto the longtime Baltimore executive, yet again naming his organization as one of the big winners of the draft.

A team's first pick, usually their most important in every draft haul, acts as a tone setter for the rest of the draft to come. It's hard to make up for an early swing and a miss, and DeCosta spoke at length on how the talented Malaki Starks fell into the lap of a team who always believes in drafting the best player available.

"One of my philosophies, and this is going back many years... when you get the #1 player at his position in any given draft class, you're getting a damn good football player," he said. "If that guy has the chance to be an impact player for you, you should take him."

Starks has gone on to dominate most lists ranking the best-value picks of the draft, with the safety receiving glowing reviews from his professional interview and his IQ as a safety who played in as competitive of a situation as Georgia.

"For us, with Malaki, it was like, what can't this guys do? He's gonna play for us right away, he's smart, he's tough, he's a ball-hawk, tackles well, instinctual, great kid, winning program, SEC. If there were 20 boxes, he checked off all 20 boxes."

He alluded to Starks as one of "his guys," and considered his falling all the way down to their spot at #27 as a steal. Savvy moves like this one have boosted the Ravens all the way towards the top of the league in the post-draft power rankings, something they'll get the chance to back up when the season gets going in September.

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