The Philadelphia Eagles might be looking to add yet another Georgia Bulldog to their defensive roster. Following the surprising trade of safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans this offseason, the Eagles appear to have identified a potential replacement in Georgia safety Malaki Starks. According to 94WIP.com’s Eliot Shorr-Parks, the Eagles recently hosted Starks for a Top 30 visit, indicating significant interest in the standout defensive back. “The Eagles used a Top 30 visit on Georgia safety Malaki Starks, per league source,” Shorr-Parks reported. “Eagles would likely need to trade up but they have a ton of interest in Starks.” This interest comes as no surprise to Eagles fans familiar with General Manager Howie Roseman’s draft tendencies. Philadelphia has shown a clear pattern of targeting Georgia defensive players in recent years, appreciating the NFL-ready talent consistently produced by Kirby Smart’s program. Starks, ranked by ESPN as the No. 2 safety prospect in this draft class, would represent a seamless replacement for Gardner-Johnson, whose departure via trade initially caught many by surprise. The former Bulldog was a consensus All-American in 2023 and followed that campaign with an impressive 2024 season, recording four interceptions and 77 total tackles. The Gardner-Johnson trade, which brought offensive lineman Kenyon Green to Philadelphia, was largely seen as a salary cap move to help the Eagles manage their numerous high-priced stars. However, it created an immediate need at the safety position that Starks could potentially fill.
For the Eagles to land Starks, they would likely need to trade up in the draft, as he’s widely projected to be selected well before Philadelphia’s current first-round position. Given Roseman’s history of aggressive draft-day maneuvering, such a move wouldn’t be out of character. If Philadelphia does manage to secure Starks, it would further strengthen the Georgia-to-Eagles pipeline that has helped build one of the NFC’s most talented defensive units in recent years