ATHENS — Malaki Starks already has won consensus All-America honors as a freshman and sophomore safety for the Georgia Bulldogs. Now entering his junior season, the Bulldogs’ defensive star seems to be angling for some off-field awards as he continues to establish himself as a mentor to youth.
Over the weekend, Starks served as host and guide for a small group of middle school and high students who visited the UGA campus. Sponsored by Associated Credit Union (ACU), which has an NIL deal with Starks, as well as non-profit partners Next Gen and the Salvation Army, Starks took the youth on a tour of Georgia’s iconic North campus and its conglomeration of academic buildings on Saturday. He also showed them some football moves in a makeshift camp during a midday break.
“I’m just blessed to be with these kids,” Starks said in a video provided by Kremer Communications. “When I was a kid, I had a lot of people who poured into me. I believe that I have a gift not only in football, but to give back at the same time. I learn a lot from them and hopefully they learn a lot for me as I try to have an impact on their lives.”
Participants were considered “overlooked” students, according to a news release from ACU. Emory University volleyball player Kate LaRocco hosted a similar event in Atlanta on Saturday.
“We want to introduce these kids to Malaki Starks and give them a real-life experience for what it’s like to be UGA student,” said Prisca Walters, foundation manager for ACU. “It means the world to us to be able to partner with Malaki and Kate LaRocco to be positive role models for the community.”
Starks, a Jefferson native and former 5-star recruiting prospect, sat out spring practice while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. But he is expected to be full speed well before the Bulldogs open the season Aug. 30 against Clemson in the renamed Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta at Mercedes Benz Stadium.
A semifinalist for Bednarik and Jim Thorpe awards last year, Starks leads Georgia’s defense into the 2024 season with 120 career tackles and 5 interceptions. The Bulldogs are 28-1 with Starks as the starting free safety the last two seasons and are expected to be one of the nation’s top-ranked teams when the season opens in four months.
