KC Chiefs fill pass-rush need with Karlaftis, who says he’s ready to work his way up
No bravado for George Karlaftis, the Purdue defensive end who was the Chiefs’ second pick in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday.
“Obviously, I’m going to come in as the lowest man on the totem pole and work my way up,” Karlaftis said. “I’m going to earn my stripes and work as hard as I possibly can.”
It’s a noble approach, but Karlafits shouldn’t hurt his neck gazing up at names on the depth chart. The Chiefs took him No. 30 overall because they sought to fill a specific need.
The same is true for the player they selected earlier in the first round, Washington cornerback Trent McDuffie at No. 21. The Chiefs traded up to get McDuffie, sending the New England Patriots their No. 29 pick, plus selections in the third and fourth rounds in exchange.
“These are first-round picks,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “They’re going to get in there and compete.”
The 6-foot-4, 266-pound Karlaftis was a Ted Hendricks Award finalist as the nation’s top defensive end. He was first-team All-Big Ten and third-team All-America after a season in which posted 11 1/2 tackles for loss, 4 1/2 sacks and two forced fumbles. As a freshman in 2019, he recorded 7 1/2 sacks.
Karlaftis missed most of the 2020 season battling an injury and COVID-19.
As the draft approached, Karlaftis bounced around the draft projections. He was widely seen as a back-half-of-the-first-round talent.
Edge rushers came off the board early. So did wide receivers, another priority position for the Chiefs. Still, after McDuffie was selected and the Chiefs’ second pick approached, defensive end seemed like a good bet.
The Chiefs’ defensive end rotation entering the draft included Frank Clark, Mike Danna and Joshua Kaindoh. Rush end is considered a big need after they recorded just 31 sacks, the fourth-lowest total in the NFL last season.
The issue was glaring in the AFC Championship Game loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, when the Chiefs were able to sack quarterback Joe Burrow just one time.
“He’s young, relentless, really dedicated to his craft,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said of Karlaftis. “All the people at Purdue said he has his best football in front of him.”
Football came late to Karlaftis. He was born in Athens, Greece, and moved to the United States at age 13. Water polo was his first love in sports, but he picked up football quickly.
“I’ve been playing football only for about six or seven years,” Karlaftis said. “It’s been a crazy ride.”
Now it’s a ride that will continue in Kansas City, where Karlaftis will be given every opportunity to be part of the team’s defensive end rotation.
This story was originally published April 28, 2022 at 10:37 PM.