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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.
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