2022 NFL Draft: Purdue DE George Karlafits a great pass rusher

After a couple seasons of offense dominating the cycle, the 2022 NFL Draft could see more top talent on the defensive side of the ball. The edge rusher class looked good in last year’s draft, and there’s a chance it’s even better next spring. Obviously, Kayvon Thibodeaux will dominate the headlines this fall. But, there are others who can hear their names called early next year, including the likes of DeMarvin Leal and Drake Jackson. One of those players is a rusher in the Big Ten, Purdue Boilermakers defensive end George Karlaftis.

Boilermakers DE George Karlaftis is a very good edge rusher in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Karlaftis was a consensus four star recruit out of high school and won numerous awards as a senior, including Indiana Class 3A player of the year and IndyStar’s Mr. Football Defensive Lineman of the year. His senior numbers, according to MaxPreps, included a monstrous 56 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks. He earned a trip to the 2019 Army All-American Bowl, where he received the national DPOY honor. In addition to football, Karlaftis was also a back-to-back state champion in the shot put.

Karlaftis enrolled early at Purdue, and put together an excellent freshman season in 2019. His 17 TFLs led the team, and he tied for the lead with 7.5 sacks. Those numbers earned him Second Team All-Big Ten honors. Karlaftis only played in two games in 2020, and it’s not hard to throw out a year that was unlike any other, even though he had two TFLs and two sacks.

Returning to form is what many expect for Karlaftis in 2020, so what is his form and how do his traits stack up against others for the 2022 NFL Draft? Let’s dive in to look at his game.