Kansas City Chiefs select Purdue defensive end George Karlaftis in 2022 NFL Draft

The Kansas City Chiefs selected Purdue defensive end George Karlaftis, who moved from Greece to the United States before playing football, with the No. 30 overall pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Throughout his college career, he showed flashes of dominance off the edge against the run and pass.

In three seasons with the Boilermakers before entering the NFL Draft, George Karlaftis made 97 tackles with 29 tackles for loss and 14 sacks in just 26 games. He also added four fumble recoveries and a defensive touchdown.

A former four-star recruit in the class of 2017, he was the No. 57 overall player in the nation per the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average. The West Lafayette, Indiana native – by way of Athens, Greece – also ranked as the No. 6 defensive lineman and No. 1 player in his home state after playing at West Lafayette High School.

NFL draft analysts on George Karlaftis

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein broke down what George Karlaftis can bring to the NFL in his recent scout of the defensive end’s draft profile. The former All-Big Ten and All-American selection brings a lot to the table as he prepares for the NFL.

The NFL.com scout pointed out that Karlaftis provides value against the run and pass, making him a potential three-down lineman who could benefit from playing alongside an established pass rusher who draws more focus from the opposition.

“Edge defender with good power and a relentless motor to keep the heat on offensive counterparts throughout the game,” wrote Zierlein. “Karlaftis’ best production came in 2019, as he missed half of Purdue’s 2020 season and saw teams focus more energy toward stopping him in 2021. He’s a lift-and-leverage run defender at the point of attack but fits into a “team defender” column more than ‘premium run-stopper’ category.”