It’s time to start talking about the 2025 draft now that college football season is finally here. All eyes will be on Georgia as they try to win their 3rd Championship in four years. Georgia and Clemson open the season in Atlanta for the Aflac Kickoff. Clemson looks to pull the upset and show they are still an elite NCAA program. Georgia is ranked 1st in the AP Top 25, while Clemson is 14th.
Fans with quarterback-needy teams will be keeping an eye on Georgia’s QB Carson Beck. Beck projects to be one of the top quarterbacks available in the 2025 NFL Draft. But there are two defenders, one from each team, you should be keeping an eye on.
Junior Safety
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Malaki Starks S Georgia #24 – Despite losing Javon Bullard and Tykee Smith to the draft, Georgia likely won’t miss a beat at safety. Starks, a 6-foot-1 205-pound junior, was a consensus All-American in 2023 and projects as a first-round pick in the 2025 draft. Starks possesses the speed and athleticism NFL teams covet. This allows Starks to explode to the football which pairs well with his non-stop motor. He has outstanding ball skills and tracks the ball in the air as evidenced by his 5 career interceptions. Starks is also a willing run defender and is not afraid to get physical.
Georgia likes to use their safeties all over the field and Starks was no exception. He was the deep safety the majority of the time but did play 153 snaps as the box safety and 177 snaps at slot corner via PFF. Versatility is valuable in the NFL and
his former teammate agrees. Stark’s ability to line up all over the secondary will make him a sought-after prospect come April.
Senior Linebacker
Barrett Carter LB Clemson #0 – Carter is a 6-foot-1 230 senior who could have been a Day 2 draft pick in the 2024 draft. Instead, he chose to
return to Clemson for his final season. Carter has 170 career tackles, 21 that went for a loss and 9 sacks. Just like in 2024, he projects to be a Day 2 pick in the 2025 draft. Carter possesses the speed, athleticism, and burst to cover the entire field both in the run game and the passing game. He is willing to take on blocks and looks comfortable dropping in coverage. Carter is also an excellent blitzer as you can see by his 9 career sacks.
With a high football IQ and
intangibles teams look for in a prospect, Carter should be coveted in April’s draft. As long as he stays healthy and continues to make plays, he will be a name you will hear a lot come draft season.
Key Matchup
Georgia DE Mykel Williams #18 vs Clemson OT Blake Miller #78
Mykel Williams is a 6-foot-5 265-pound EDGE defender who has a strong first step and elite athleticism. Clemson runs a lot of misdirection plays and NFL teams will want to see how Williams handles these counters. Miller is a 6-foot-6 315-pound right tackle who is a strong run blocker and possesses the agility and athleticism to get to the 2nd level. Williams should be a test for Miller, but if he holds his own, it can only improve his draft stock. Both Williams and Miller should become 1st round draft picks with strong junior seasons.
Georgia and Clemson play Saturday at Noon EST on ABC.
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