Bulldog true freshman safety Malaki Starks has been named one of five finalists for the fifth annual Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, according to an announcement from the Maxwell Football Club.

Starks, a native of Jefferson, Ga., joins LSU's Harold Perkins Jr., Ole Miss' Quinshon Judkins, North Carolina's Drake May and Penn State's Abdul Carter as finalists.  Current Bulldog tight end Brock Bowers was named the 2021 Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year.  In addition, former Bulldog and current New York Giant Azeez Ojulari was another finalist for the honor in 2019.

The winner of the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award will be unveiled Dec. 29.  The formal presentations of this award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by the Mohegan Sun Resort in Pennsylvania in March 2023.

Starting the last 11 games for top-ranked Georgia, Starks is tied for the team lead with 59 tackles and has a team-high seven pass breakups.  In addition, he is tied for the team lead with two interceptions with 42 return yards, including a pick on No. 11 Oregon's second drive of this season's opener en route to the Bulldogs' 49-3 rout.  Starks is part of a defensive unit that leads the nation in Scoring Defense (11.3 points/game).
 
Georgia (12-0, 8-0 SEC) starts the postseason in the SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium versus LSU (9-3, 6-2 SEC) on Saturday.  CBS will televise the matchup at 4 p.m.