Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff is on the radar of one of the top NFL prospects in the upcoming draft.
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff is one of the best quarterbacks of his generation, and his past season with the Lions saw Goff breaking plenty of records. As Goff’s profile rises, the next generation of players is taking notice, and one Georgia football star recently gave Goff the ultimate warning and compliment.
As the NFL Draft approaches, college players are making the media rounds and talking about what they can bring to the table in the NFL. The 2025 NFL Draft begins Thursday, April 14, and is set to take place inside and around Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Malaki Starks Know All About Lions’ Jared Goff
Goff really had the best season of his career in 2024. He completed 72.4% of his passes for 4,6129 yards with 37 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The postseason left much to be desired, but it doesn’t erase the fact that Goff has helped make the Detroit Lions a contender, which says a lot for a franchise that’s never been to the big game.
During an appearance on April 14 on Kay Adams’ “Up & Adams,” Georgia safety Malaki Starks was asked which NFL quarterback he most wants to intercept a pass from when he starts playing in the NFL.
His answer was Jared Goff. He didn’t hesitate, either. That’s quite the compliment, if you think about it.
“Just talking to some of my teammates that used to play here who are in the league now,” Starks said. “He’s like an elite of elite quarterback, so just being able to add that to my resume. Some of the guys, the way they talk about him, I mean, that would be cool.”
Starks is likely the No. 1 safety prospect in the 2025 draft class, so chances are, he’ll be intercepting a lot of passes next season. Whether they’re from Goff remains to be seen.
It was cool to see Starks go with Goff, because his name isn’t as showy or flashy as some of the other star NFL quarterbacks, such as Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson.
Jared Goff to Take on More Responsibility
Goff will be back on the field this fall, and he’ll likely take on an even bigger leadership role. Speaking with the press in early April, Lions head coach Dan Campbell talked about Goff’s evolution as a player.
“Growth? Look, he continues to grow every year,” Campbell said. “And I’d say the next step for him — and he knows this … last year, he came to us, everything we wanted him to do in the offense he did. And then he began to bring stuff to us [to say], ‘Hey man, I can see this look. Let me get to this play. I know I’ve got these options in the bag, but let me get to this as well.'”
He added, “Those are the things where he’s, ‘OK, here we go man.’ That’s beginning to show. And I would anticipate that to take another step up.”
Since becoming a Lion, Goff has notched a 39-25-1 record as a starter. He also made it to the Pro Bowl in 2022 and 2024. Let’s hope this next season is another stellar one for him.
