Had an NFC Personnel executive tell me “He reminds me of J.J. Watt, when Watt was coming out. An explosive and versatile playmaker who has a high motor and can line up at 3,5, or 7. Very strong kid” #NFL#NFLDraftpic.twitter.com/5qM3g6OrMr
Chiefs selected Purdue EDGE George Karlaftis with the No. 30 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
In another age, Karlaftis (6’4/266) would have been guarding Mount Olympus, as the Purdue star was born in Athens, Greece before moving to Indiana, where he developed into a four-star recruit. He was a foundational player for the program, logging 843 snaps while generating 54 tackles, 17.0 TFL, 7.5 sacks, two PBUs, and an interception and earning first-team Freshman All-American and second-team. Last year, Karlaftis posted 41 tackles, 11.5 TFLs, five sacks, three fumbles, and two PBUs while earning second-team All-American recognition. The five sacks weren’t eye-popping, but those numbers don’t show just how destructive he was on an every-down basis, as the Greek strongman posted the second-highest pressure rate in the nation when lining up against left tackles and ranked seventh in quarterback hits with 14. He backed up the on-field performance with a strong set of testing numbers, ranking as the 120th most athletic edge defender out of 1,455 that have tested for the NFL since 1987. Karlaftis has a frenetic first step, rushes with a plan, and displays exceptional hand technique to go with a relentless motor while his stout base makes him hard to move in the run game. Though he gets critiqued for lack of elite bend, Karlaftis has the power, work ethic, and talent to be a quality starter in the league for years to come. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Simply Red:
might be time to log out for the night -have a nice night - we're not winning the west w/ JuJu / that other guy and Mecole Hardman - yikes - what a nightmare.
Oh.
This is gonna age SO well.
Get ready to see this quoted in some sigs. [Reply]
The Chiefs filled their two biggest needs with CB and EDGE. McDuffie is a terrific athlete with size questions, and Karlaftis has been productive since his freshman year, big question is can he step in and produce Day 1? Most EDGE guys take a year or two