KCSN Draft Guide Preview: EDGE George Karlaftis

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Our final player profile before the draft is a defensive end that has a chance to fall to the Chiefs at the end of the first. You can read about him and more in the 2022 KCSN Draft Guide.

EDGE George Karlaftis — Purdue

6’6” — 265

West Lafayette, IN — 4/3/2001

Grade (round): 2nd

2021 Stats: 39 TKL, 10 TFL, 4.5 Sacks, 2 FF

Background:

Early entrant in the 2022 Draft. Former four star recruit that chose Purdue over Clemson and Florida. Appeared in 26 games over his three seasons with the Boilermakers. First Team Freshman All-American (2019), Second Team All-Big Ten (2019, 2020), Academic All-Big Ten (2020), First Team All-Big Ten (2021).

Moved to Indiana from Athens, Greece for his eighth grade year. State champion in shot put in high school.

Strengths:

Karlaftis is a powerful defensive end with some of the best hands in the class. He is well versed in how to create separation with quick and calculated strikes. He also possesses strong hands that generate excellent power at the point of attack. His first punch simply rocks offensive tackles.

As a run defender, he is a tireless worker that scrapes down the line with a violent mentality. He is strong at the point of attack and can play a multitude of positions along a defensive front. Karlaftis is also a cerebral player with an understanding of how to soften the edge before beating an offensive tackle.

Weaknesses:

Karlaftis is a stiff athlete with very little wiggle in his game. He does a good job of mitigating this deficiency, but he really struggles to corner and bend as a pass rusher. His pass rush is dependent on him winning through the offensive tackle or to the inside of the tackle.

His lack of length is also a concern. Pass blockers find themselves inside his chest plate way too often for my liking. It leads to a few rough moments on film– most notably when a tight end gets positioning on him. For a player with great hands on his initial moves, he needs to continue to develop counters in his game to really reach his potential as a pass rusher. 

How he fits with the Chiefs:

Karlaftis is a high-floor prospect that would fit well with the Chiefs. His size and strength would allow him to be a plus-run defender from day one with the team. As long as the Chiefs’ don’t ask him to be a bendy, or dominant, pass rusher from day one, he would fit on their defensive line nicely. 

Player comp: Jabaal Sheard

Team Fit: High