April 26, 2025 • 15 mins
S Malaki Starks meets with the media at the Under Armour Performance Center.
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome in to the Ravens Press Pass podcast. The Ravens
selected safety Malachi Starks in the first round of the
twenty twenty five NFL Draft, and he was in Baltimore
on Friday to officially meet with the local media make
his introduction to Ravens fans. Ravens are certainly excited about
getting Malachi Starks and feel like he could be a
real asset for this defense. Today, the Ravens had a
(00:24):
press conference to introduce Malachi along with defensive coordinator Zach Orr.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Everybody doing all right. I appreciate you guys coming out.
Obviously you could tell that we're excited last night we
drafted Malachi Starks out of Georgia. First and foremost, just
wanted to thank Eric and his staff man all the
work they do to provide us coaches the information to
evaluate the players. And it became real clear when we
started evaluate some process as coaches that Malachi Starks is
(00:57):
one of the top players in his draft. And when
you come by his on the field talent, his on
the field production combined with his character, his work ethic,
and his mindset that we look for in Baltimore, he
was a clear cut number one defensive player for us
as coaches, So we were a static when we got him,
not just not just me as a coordinator, not just
a secondary coaches, A linebacker coaches were excited. Defensive line
(01:20):
coach is excited because we know what type of player
and what type of person we're bringing to Baltimore. Man
and I know you got Eric and Harvis talked about
his interview process.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
It was a great interview at the combine.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
I was there, went to the pro day, one of
the best workouts I've seen, not just from a dB,
just from a football player in general. And then when
you cut on the film, it's very evident that not
a lot of people can do what Malachot Stars could
do on the football field. So we're static to add
him to our defense, to add him to our team.
We played with a lot of DB's in the secondary.
(01:52):
He has very he's very familiar. We're playing all over
the secondary, which was appeasing us. He's a playmaker, he's
a ball hawk, and the most importantly, he's a dog
man in the classroom, off the field and on the field.
Loves ball. That's what we're looking for in Baltimore. So
we're excited to add him to our defense. He's gonna
be a great piece for us, and we're excited to
get to work with him.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
It was kind of hard to follow up after that.
I just want to say thank you to the whole
staff and Erican and the whole staff is just believing
in me and taking a shot on me, and just
the history that runs here. I think when I chose
to go to University of Georgia as a freshman, the
history that ran in the defensive room and the history
that I want to be a part of, the type
(02:38):
of program that I wanted to be a part of
is very similar to what they've built here. And there's
a lot of elite guys that I can't wait to,
you know, learn from and be a sponge. And I'm
ready to you know, get here and be a raven.
I'm ready to get to work.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Yeah, ma'am, you can't touched find the history. I mean,
this is a team that had read it safety now
has called.
Speaker 5 (02:59):
How much does that mean to kind of be in
kind of that legacy at that position.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Yeah, I think it's huge, and I take I take
part of it. You know. A really big thing for
me is showing respect for the guys who came before
you and paving a way for the ones who's going
to come after you. So just being able to, you know,
be in that room and learn from those guys and
just the history that runs here, like I said earlier,
just really type into that and you know, learn what
it means to be a raven. I'm excited.
Speaker 6 (03:25):
Does your mind starts spending immediately when you think about
him and Kyle Hamilton and all the other dbs about
what you can do with his talent now at a
duty definitely.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
I ran the coach this morning. We were in the
weight room.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
We were already talking about our different ways how we
add to our defense man and we talk about the
advantage that we feel like we have here in Baltimore
is being positionless and that that's that's all over the field,
but especially with our secondary and he helps create an
advantage for us and a disadvantage to the offense because
he can line up all over the field for us
(03:55):
and be productive along with the other dbs we have
in the room. So we're excited to continue to add
to that and it's gonna be great for us.
Speaker 6 (04:04):
I'm sure you've be for a while to get beat
drafted into.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
The NFL and taking time to kind of, you know, with.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
A slow time.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Bawn for second and just think about what legends at
this point today.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
Yeah, I think I did last night. And it's been
it's been quick, you know. Uh, you know, you get
that call and you walk on stage, and it's quick.
You in interviews, you go to sleep next morning, you're
on the flight. Uh. But I think, you know, after
I got done with the interviews and I got back
and I was with my family, just being able to
you know, sell on a couch and just kind of
talk about it, uh, and just really be grateful for
the whole moment. A lot of guys dream of this day.
(04:39):
I mean a lot of guys don't make it to
it as well. Uh So just really appreciating the little
things that took get here and uh all the people who,
uh who've helped me get in this position today. Uh,
what's really huge for me.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
Like the Ravens talked about how impressive you were in
the Combine interview. What impressed you about the Ravens organization
when you interviewed with them?
Speaker 4 (05:00):
You can just feel it, uh, I think uh I
kind of talked about this earlier with coach. Like when
you watch when you watch Raven football, you can you
can feel it. Uh like when someone says Raven football,
like you know what they're talking about, like as soon
as they say it. So like as soon as I
walked in the room, I felt like that that presence,
that that energy uh of football. And at the end
of the day, I'm a guy who loves football, but
(05:21):
also like surrounding myself with good people, uh, good men,
uh cause I'm still young and I'm still learning. Uh
So just being able to be at a place like this,
I mean it's huge for me and my family.
Speaker 5 (05:31):
Well, I would just go back to what you were
saying about the journey.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
Uh what what is that journey been?
Speaker 5 (05:39):
Lay back you know, thinking back to you all back
to your childhood. You know, third fourth is sixth grade
and you you know, hard times and all that to
this point and and what is it?
Speaker 4 (05:49):
How would you know?
Speaker 5 (05:49):
I just described what it needs to you to God
from that.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
To this, it's a blessing. Uh.
Speaker 6 (05:56):
You know.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
I come from a very you know, faithful background and
something that me and my parents and my fans I
talked about uh a lot this week, but a lot
of process as well as you know, God has already
written my story for me. So just being able to
have faith in Him and stay true to myself and
I compromise that for anybody. I think when you look
back on the things that you know me and my
family has been through. Uh, just being able to stay
(06:19):
true to ourself but also keep God first. You know,
things happen for a reason and you may never know,
and you know you may know right away, but uh,
just having faith in that and you know, staying true
to ourselves is what really got me to my point today.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Uh, how do you feel like?
Speaker 6 (06:33):
Do you wait a lit over too long and have
a name you motivation? You go ahead and board playing
with a little the corners or cans, the teams and
maybe asking.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
About Nah, I'm in a perfect spot. Uh, I'm I'm
right where I need to be. I'm ready to get
to work.
Speaker 6 (06:49):
Now. Kind of At Georgia, you practice against some great
players you have brought byland coming here. How much are
you looking.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Forward to prizing against some of the Ragan's weapons and
how much you think that will help you?
Speaker 5 (07:00):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (07:00):
I think you know iron sharpers aren't And I'm the
guy who loves to compete. So at the end of
the day, you know, as much as I want to
learn from the defense side, I want to learn from
the offensive side too. So I'm excited to really get
out there and you know, be a sponge to you know,
all the league guys that they have on the team.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
So you mentioned that now the top, top guy that
you guys are able to get.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
We saw the clip of you celebrating the defensive coaches
and just what was kind of the emotion of that
moment and what led to that excitement that you had
in the moment.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Like I said earlier in the process, man, just you know,
like you said at the combine, watching the film, going
down to the brode talking to the coaches and the
staff at Georgia's, how much they raised about him, and
that confirming with our own conversations and the film. Our
football coaches, Man, we you know, we love football. We
love guys who love football, and Malachi is one of
(07:50):
those guys. And it was something that we talked about
throughout the night. It was like, man, you know, hopefully
Malachi is there. Hopefully he's there. So that was the
guy we were focused on as coaches from a defense
at a standpoint the whole time, and you know, as
it gets close, you start getting a little bit more anxious.
So when we found out that that's what's gonna that
we were going to be able to get him here
in Baltimore, it was just static and that that was
(08:13):
just like all our coaches. They watch football, they watch
the tape, they know what type of player he is,
and we glad to have him.
Speaker 5 (08:20):
Alik, you, the goodness is you don't have to see
them as an opponent on Sunday. The bad news is
you've got to see him every day in practice. Lamar
Jackson and Derrick Hemery thoughts on playing against guys you've
probably been playing against. I'm mad for a lot of years.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
Yeah, you're not wrong. Uh, I'm excited, come of the
piggyback off what I said earlier. I mean, these guys
are elite. So just to be able to come to
a place like this and you know, be able to
sharpen my skills and learn from them, and also they
can do the same for me as well. Uh So
I'm excited to get to work.
Speaker 6 (08:53):
Malachai has some of your interviews, you mentioned your work
ethic and how your family is helped shing that can
you give us just can you go into more detail
about that, your work ethic, how that's happened.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
Yeah, I think the biggest thing is as a kid,
I was homeless, uh twice, I know, I kind of
there was a period of time where I didn't really
see my parents cause they were working, uh you know,
day shifts, night shifts, whatever the case may be. But
I've never seen them not work for anything, and that
kind of I saw it in it. It turned me
two I am today, Like when things don't go my way,
(09:24):
when I don't know what to do, like, I put
my head down and work, and it's it's always been
what I do. It's a part of who I am.
So I go about my business and just doing things
the right way. Like I said earlier, just keeping your
face up front and staying true to yourself. I mean
I've seen that from my parents and then I've seen
it from my sister as well. So like all the
people who set a great example for me to follow,
(09:45):
I just gotta follow their footsteps exact.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Okay, you mentioned how impressed you were a boy his
pro lay workout.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Was there anything there that you saw that added to
your evaluation that kind that maybe you didn't know. Yeah,
I mean you see it on film, but then just
getting real close on the field where you can really
see the movement skills and.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
The ball skills. I mean, he made a catch where
he got deep, he.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Pedaled, got deep, broke on the ball beautiful, made an
acrobatic catch, and then jumped right over. They had like
some tape and a rope and he saved himself and
jumped over it all in one motion. I mean, and
everybody intendance was just wild. And so after that workout,
I honestly personally was saying, yeah, there's no way he's
(10:29):
gonna get to twenty seven.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Like there's no way.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Like all the coaches, the gms and the head coaches
were there were raving about him.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
But the pro theay was so impressive.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Like I said, it was one of the best workouts
I've seen, and it's good to see that because on
film you can see movement skills, but seeing it up
close kind of checked that box and he.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Shoot, he obliberated the box. It was it was really impressive.
Years have seen Georgia guys that drafted, and he impact.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
What is it, what's going on that?
Speaker 6 (11:01):
And that has led to a lot of really success.
Speaker 4 (11:04):
Yeah, I think it's just how the programs ran. They
try to run it like a pro type program. But
also guys buy into the culture, the way that we
do things, the way that things need to be done.
I mean you see it like when people have success,
why wouldn't you follow in their footsteps? Why would you
not do the things has been working? So like we
get a bunch of guys who really want to come
(11:25):
in and be a part of that culture. When they
buy in, they see at least to success.
Speaker 5 (11:29):
Okay, who do you consider some of your football managers
and who did you lead on during the graft process
and getting into this port.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
Yeah. The biggest guy Chris Smith who was with the Raiders.
He was my mentor when I first got to college.
He taught me a lot about ball, but also you know,
just how to be a pro, how to go about
my business. And then a lot of guys that I
played with last year, Taki Smith, Javon Bullock, Kamario Lastner.
Just leaning on guys like that who went through the
process last year who were able to have success in
the league early just out for advice. Uh, you know
(12:01):
it's you never really know what's gonna happen. But you know,
like I said, your story is already written out, So
just having faith in that and just being ready when
your name is called.
Speaker 6 (12:10):
How much do you think that they get experience has.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
Of how the.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Yeah, I think it's gonna be huge, and I'm not
saying it's the same, but just being able to have
the opportunity to be in those types of game and
those environments, I think it's prepared me very well.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
The bit of rhyckways in the SEC com parallel to the.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
R and the ass Nor especially just just a little bit. Yes, sorry,
what do you think those uh battles and how they'll
translate to the battles and the ass North going forward
your pro careers. Yeah, I think at the end of
the day, it's it's football and it's passion.
Speaker 6 (12:47):
You know.
Speaker 4 (12:48):
Uh, when you get when you get programs who really
care about football, and that's that's what you get. So
just being able to come to an organization like this
who like has that passion about football and who is
willing to take a shot on me, I think I
think I'm gonna, you know, do the most some opportunity.
Speaker 5 (13:05):
Exact you watch the film, there are a lot of
table a lot of reps work. He's maning guys up
in the slot, which I think it's not something you
see from a lot of safety prospects or what does
that speak to?
Speaker 1 (13:14):
What from big in the NFL?
Speaker 3 (13:16):
And just like it's the trust that told you howpen
to do.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Yeah, it just shows that the versatility that we that
we talk about, Like you said, it's not a lot
of safeties who can do the zone, come up and tackle,
play in the deep part of the field, and then
most importantly, play man not just on tight ends, but
on receivers.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
And Malachi did that at a high level.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
So that that's a bonus and plus for us because
we'll be able to use his skill set to the
fullest and maximize his skill set that that he's worked
at and he's been blessed with. So I don't anticipate
that really changing here for us. So that's something that
we value a lot. I think that if you look
at our secondary room, you see that a lot of
(13:56):
our guys can do everything.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
So that's why Malachi was so appealing to us. So
I'm excited about it.
Speaker 4 (14:05):
Okay, I mean, you talk uh talk about your uh
pool waiqu in your house with.
Speaker 6 (14:10):
Yeah what you serve your ass to?
Speaker 4 (14:13):
Chris Smith?
Speaker 5 (14:14):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
But also just h my coaches at Georgia uh so
uh will Musch Champ kr uh Kirby Smart, UH coach Schumann,
UH coach fran Dante Williams, uh t Robb who was
at Bama last year. Just being able to be in
a program like that and really dive into it. I
think me being able to play different positions in college
really open my mind to learning football and short of aspect.
(14:37):
So just being able to be in a place like that,
uh with guys who really care about football aout me
to really open my vision and learn ball.
Speaker 5 (14:46):
How like how you just you know what number you're
gonna wear?
Speaker 4 (14:51):
Twenty four?
Speaker 5 (14:52):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (14:53):
If if I can get uh get it? If not,
it don't matter what number I got. As long as
I'm on the field, it don't matter.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Now.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
The second and third round of the NFL Draft is
Friday night. The Ravens have two picks on Friday and
then they follow it up with eight picks on Saturday.
So make sure that you are following us across all
social media platforms. Make sure that you are subscribed to
here to the Ravens Press Pass podcast feed as well
as the Lounge feed. We'll have another episode for you
later tonight, after the Ravens make their second and third
(15:27):
round picks and we hear from GM Eric Tacosta. Thanks
for listening.
Welcome in to the Ravens Press Pass podcast. The Ravens
selected safety Malachi Starks in the first round of the
twenty twenty five NFL Draft, and he was in Baltimore
on Friday to officially meet with the local media make
his introduction to Ravens fans. Ravens are certainly excited about
getting Malachi Starks and feel like he could be a
real asset for this defense. Today, the Ravens had a
(00:24):
press conference to introduce Malachi along with defensive coordinator Zach Orr.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Everybody doing all right. I appreciate you guys coming out.
Obviously you could tell that we're excited last night we
drafted Malachi Starks out of Georgia. First and foremost, just
wanted to thank Eric and his staff man all the
work they do to provide us coaches the information to
evaluate the players. And it became real clear when we
started evaluate some process as coaches that Malachi Starks is
(00:57):
one of the top players in his draft. And when
you come by his on the field talent, his on
the field production combined with his character, his work ethic,
and his mindset that we look for in Baltimore, he
was a clear cut number one defensive player for us
as coaches, So we were a static when we got him,
not just not just me as a coordinator, not just
a secondary coaches, A linebacker coaches were excited. Defensive line
(01:20):
coach is excited because we know what type of player
and what type of person we're bringing to Baltimore. Man
and I know you got Eric and Harvis talked about
his interview process.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
It was a great interview at the combine.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
I was there, went to the pro day, one of
the best workouts I've seen, not just from a dB,
just from a football player in general. And then when
you cut on the film, it's very evident that not
a lot of people can do what Malachot Stars could
do on the football field. So we're static to add
him to our defense, to add him to our team.
We played with a lot of DB's in the secondary.
(01:52):
He has very he's very familiar. We're playing all over
the secondary, which was appeasing us. He's a playmaker, he's
a ball hawk, and the most importantly, he's a dog
man in the classroom, off the field and on the field.
Loves ball. That's what we're looking for in Baltimore. So
we're excited to add him to our defense. He's gonna
be a great piece for us, and we're excited to
get to work with him.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
It was kind of hard to follow up after that.
I just want to say thank you to the whole
staff and Erican and the whole staff is just believing
in me and taking a shot on me, and just
the history that runs here. I think when I chose
to go to University of Georgia as a freshman, the
history that ran in the defensive room and the history
that I want to be a part of, the type
(02:38):
of program that I wanted to be a part of
is very similar to what they've built here. And there's
a lot of elite guys that I can't wait to,
you know, learn from and be a sponge. And I'm
ready to you know, get here and be a raven.
I'm ready to get to work.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Yeah, ma'am, you can't touched find the history. I mean,
this is a team that had read it safety now
has called.
Speaker 5 (02:59):
How much does that mean to kind of be in
kind of that legacy at that position.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Yeah, I think it's huge, and I take I take
part of it. You know. A really big thing for
me is showing respect for the guys who came before
you and paving a way for the ones who's going
to come after you. So just being able to, you know,
be in that room and learn from those guys and
just the history that runs here, like I said earlier,
just really type into that and you know, learn what
it means to be a raven. I'm excited.
Speaker 6 (03:25):
Does your mind starts spending immediately when you think about
him and Kyle Hamilton and all the other dbs about
what you can do with his talent now at a
duty definitely.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
I ran the coach this morning. We were in the
weight room.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
We were already talking about our different ways how we
add to our defense man and we talk about the
advantage that we feel like we have here in Baltimore
is being positionless and that that's that's all over the field,
but especially with our secondary and he helps create an
advantage for us and a disadvantage to the offense because
he can line up all over the field for us
(03:55):
and be productive along with the other dbs we have
in the room. So we're excited to continue to add
to that and it's gonna be great for us.
Speaker 6 (04:04):
I'm sure you've be for a while to get beat
drafted into.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
The NFL and taking time to kind of, you know, with.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
A slow time.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Bawn for second and just think about what legends at
this point today.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
Yeah, I think I did last night. And it's been
it's been quick, you know. Uh, you know, you get
that call and you walk on stage, and it's quick.
You in interviews, you go to sleep next morning, you're
on the flight. Uh. But I think, you know, after
I got done with the interviews and I got back
and I was with my family, just being able to
you know, sell on a couch and just kind of
talk about it, uh, and just really be grateful for
the whole moment. A lot of guys dream of this day.
(04:39):
I mean a lot of guys don't make it to
it as well. Uh So just really appreciating the little
things that took get here and uh all the people who,
uh who've helped me get in this position today. Uh,
what's really huge for me.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
Like the Ravens talked about how impressive you were in
the Combine interview. What impressed you about the Ravens organization
when you interviewed with them?
Speaker 4 (05:00):
You can just feel it, uh, I think uh I
kind of talked about this earlier with coach. Like when
you watch when you watch Raven football, you can you
can feel it. Uh like when someone says Raven football,
like you know what they're talking about, like as soon
as they say it. So like as soon as I
walked in the room, I felt like that that presence,
that that energy uh of football. And at the end
of the day, I'm a guy who loves football, but
(05:21):
also like surrounding myself with good people, uh, good men,
uh cause I'm still young and I'm still learning. Uh
So just being able to be at a place like this,
I mean it's huge for me and my family.
Speaker 5 (05:31):
Well, I would just go back to what you were
saying about the journey.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
Uh what what is that journey been?
Speaker 5 (05:39):
Lay back you know, thinking back to you all back
to your childhood. You know, third fourth is sixth grade
and you you know, hard times and all that to
this point and and what is it?
Speaker 4 (05:49):
How would you know?
Speaker 5 (05:49):
I just described what it needs to you to God
from that.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
To this, it's a blessing. Uh.
Speaker 6 (05:56):
You know.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
I come from a very you know, faithful background and
something that me and my parents and my fans I
talked about uh a lot this week, but a lot
of process as well as you know, God has already
written my story for me. So just being able to
have faith in Him and stay true to myself and
I compromise that for anybody. I think when you look
back on the things that you know me and my
family has been through. Uh, just being able to stay
(06:19):
true to ourself but also keep God first. You know,
things happen for a reason and you may never know,
and you know you may know right away, but uh,
just having faith in that and you know, staying true
to ourselves is what really got me to my point today.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Uh, how do you feel like?
Speaker 6 (06:33):
Do you wait a lit over too long and have
a name you motivation? You go ahead and board playing
with a little the corners or cans, the teams and
maybe asking.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
About Nah, I'm in a perfect spot. Uh, I'm I'm
right where I need to be. I'm ready to get
to work.
Speaker 6 (06:49):
Now. Kind of At Georgia, you practice against some great
players you have brought byland coming here. How much are
you looking.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Forward to prizing against some of the Ragan's weapons and
how much you think that will help you?
Speaker 5 (07:00):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (07:00):
I think you know iron sharpers aren't And I'm the
guy who loves to compete. So at the end of
the day, you know, as much as I want to
learn from the defense side, I want to learn from
the offensive side too. So I'm excited to really get
out there and you know, be a sponge to you know,
all the league guys that they have on the team.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
So you mentioned that now the top, top guy that
you guys are able to get.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
We saw the clip of you celebrating the defensive coaches
and just what was kind of the emotion of that
moment and what led to that excitement that you had
in the moment.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Like I said earlier in the process, man, just you know,
like you said at the combine, watching the film, going
down to the brode talking to the coaches and the
staff at Georgia's, how much they raised about him, and
that confirming with our own conversations and the film. Our
football coaches, Man, we you know, we love football. We
love guys who love football, and Malachi is one of
(07:50):
those guys. And it was something that we talked about
throughout the night. It was like, man, you know, hopefully
Malachi is there. Hopefully he's there. So that was the
guy we were focused on as coaches from a defense
at a standpoint the whole time, and you know, as
it gets close, you start getting a little bit more anxious.
So when we found out that that's what's gonna that
we were going to be able to get him here
in Baltimore, it was just static and that that was
(08:13):
just like all our coaches. They watch football, they watch
the tape, they know what type of player he is,
and we glad to have him.
Speaker 5 (08:20):
Alik, you, the goodness is you don't have to see
them as an opponent on Sunday. The bad news is
you've got to see him every day in practice. Lamar
Jackson and Derrick Hemery thoughts on playing against guys you've
probably been playing against. I'm mad for a lot of years.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
Yeah, you're not wrong. Uh, I'm excited, come of the
piggyback off what I said earlier. I mean, these guys
are elite. So just to be able to come to
a place like this and you know, be able to
sharpen my skills and learn from them, and also they
can do the same for me as well. Uh So
I'm excited to get to work.
Speaker 6 (08:53):
Malachai has some of your interviews, you mentioned your work
ethic and how your family is helped shing that can
you give us just can you go into more detail
about that, your work ethic, how that's happened.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
Yeah, I think the biggest thing is as a kid,
I was homeless, uh twice, I know, I kind of
there was a period of time where I didn't really
see my parents cause they were working, uh you know,
day shifts, night shifts, whatever the case may be. But
I've never seen them not work for anything, and that
kind of I saw it in it. It turned me
two I am today, Like when things don't go my way,
(09:24):
when I don't know what to do, like, I put
my head down and work, and it's it's always been
what I do. It's a part of who I am.
So I go about my business and just doing things
the right way. Like I said earlier, just keeping your
face up front and staying true to yourself. I mean
I've seen that from my parents and then I've seen
it from my sister as well. So like all the
people who set a great example for me to follow,
(09:45):
I just gotta follow their footsteps exact.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Okay, you mentioned how impressed you were a boy his
pro lay workout.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Was there anything there that you saw that added to
your evaluation that kind that maybe you didn't know. Yeah,
I mean you see it on film, but then just
getting real close on the field where you can really
see the movement skills and.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
The ball skills. I mean, he made a catch where
he got deep, he.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Pedaled, got deep, broke on the ball beautiful, made an
acrobatic catch, and then jumped right over. They had like
some tape and a rope and he saved himself and
jumped over it all in one motion. I mean, and
everybody intendance was just wild. And so after that workout,
I honestly personally was saying, yeah, there's no way he's
(10:29):
gonna get to twenty seven.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Like there's no way.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Like all the coaches, the gms and the head coaches
were there were raving about him.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
But the pro theay was so impressive.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Like I said, it was one of the best workouts
I've seen, and it's good to see that because on
film you can see movement skills, but seeing it up
close kind of checked that box and he.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Shoot, he obliberated the box. It was it was really impressive.
Years have seen Georgia guys that drafted, and he impact.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
What is it, what's going on that?
Speaker 6 (11:01):
And that has led to a lot of really success.
Speaker 4 (11:04):
Yeah, I think it's just how the programs ran. They
try to run it like a pro type program. But
also guys buy into the culture, the way that we
do things, the way that things need to be done.
I mean you see it like when people have success,
why wouldn't you follow in their footsteps? Why would you
not do the things has been working? So like we
get a bunch of guys who really want to come
(11:25):
in and be a part of that culture. When they
buy in, they see at least to success.
Speaker 5 (11:29):
Okay, who do you consider some of your football managers
and who did you lead on during the graft process
and getting into this port.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
Yeah. The biggest guy Chris Smith who was with the Raiders.
He was my mentor when I first got to college.
He taught me a lot about ball, but also you know,
just how to be a pro, how to go about
my business. And then a lot of guys that I
played with last year, Taki Smith, Javon Bullock, Kamario Lastner.
Just leaning on guys like that who went through the
process last year who were able to have success in
the league early just out for advice. Uh, you know
(12:01):
it's you never really know what's gonna happen. But you know,
like I said, your story is already written out, So
just having faith in that and just being ready when
your name is called.
Speaker 6 (12:10):
How much do you think that they get experience has.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
Of how the.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Yeah, I think it's gonna be huge, and I'm not
saying it's the same, but just being able to have
the opportunity to be in those types of game and
those environments, I think it's prepared me very well.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
The bit of rhyckways in the SEC com parallel to the.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
R and the ass Nor especially just just a little bit. Yes, sorry,
what do you think those uh battles and how they'll
translate to the battles and the ass North going forward
your pro careers. Yeah, I think at the end of
the day, it's it's football and it's passion.
Speaker 6 (12:47):
You know.
Speaker 4 (12:48):
Uh, when you get when you get programs who really
care about football, and that's that's what you get. So
just being able to come to an organization like this
who like has that passion about football and who is
willing to take a shot on me, I think I
think I'm gonna, you know, do the most some opportunity.
Speaker 5 (13:05):
Exact you watch the film, there are a lot of
table a lot of reps work. He's maning guys up
in the slot, which I think it's not something you
see from a lot of safety prospects or what does
that speak to?
Speaker 1 (13:14):
What from big in the NFL?
Speaker 3 (13:16):
And just like it's the trust that told you howpen
to do.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Yeah, it just shows that the versatility that we that
we talk about, Like you said, it's not a lot
of safeties who can do the zone, come up and tackle,
play in the deep part of the field, and then
most importantly, play man not just on tight ends, but
on receivers.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
And Malachi did that at a high level.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
So that that's a bonus and plus for us because
we'll be able to use his skill set to the
fullest and maximize his skill set that that he's worked
at and he's been blessed with. So I don't anticipate
that really changing here for us. So that's something that
we value a lot. I think that if you look
at our secondary room, you see that a lot of
(13:56):
our guys can do everything.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
So that's why Malachi was so appealing to us. So
I'm excited about it.
Speaker 4 (14:05):
Okay, I mean, you talk uh talk about your uh
pool waiqu in your house with.
Speaker 6 (14:10):
Yeah what you serve your ass to?
Speaker 4 (14:13):
Chris Smith?
Speaker 5 (14:14):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
But also just h my coaches at Georgia uh so
uh will Musch Champ kr uh Kirby Smart, UH coach Schumann,
UH coach fran Dante Williams, uh t Robb who was
at Bama last year. Just being able to be in
a program like that and really dive into it. I
think me being able to play different positions in college
really open my mind to learning football and short of aspect.
(14:37):
So just being able to be in a place like that,
uh with guys who really care about football aout me
to really open my vision and learn ball.
Speaker 5 (14:46):
How like how you just you know what number you're
gonna wear?
Speaker 4 (14:51):
Twenty four?
Speaker 5 (14:52):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (14:53):
If if I can get uh get it? If not,
it don't matter what number I got. As long as
I'm on the field, it don't matter.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Now.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
The second and third round of the NFL Draft is
Friday night. The Ravens have two picks on Friday and
then they follow it up with eight picks on Saturday.
So make sure that you are following us across all
social media platforms. Make sure that you are subscribed to
here to the Ravens Press Pass podcast feed as well
as the Lounge feed. We'll have another episode for you
later tonight, after the Ravens make their second and third
(15:27):
round picks and we hear from GM Eric Tacosta. Thanks
for listening.
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