Kansas City Chiefs’ first-round defensive end George Karlaftis is ‘relentless’

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One purpose the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs chosen defensive finish George Karlaftis within the first spherical of the 2022 NFL draft was his power. At Purdue, Karlaftis tended to go full pace on each play whether or not he was dashing the quarterback or defending the run.

Karlaftis confirmed this behavior on the sector throughout the early days of the Chiefs’ offseason practices.

“He goes 100 miles an hour,” coach Andy Reid mentioned after a current apply session. “Stroll-throughs, every thing. We needed to gradual him down.

“He strikes round nicely when he is in area. He is obtained good palms, it seems like … however that motor might be the factor that jumps out at you. He goes and goes.”

The Chiefs are going to wish that power from Karlaftis, their solely vital pass-rush addition, as they try to revitalize a unit that fell to twenty ninth in NFL sacks final season. Karlaftis had 29 sacks in 26 profession video games at Purdue.

“Relentless,” Karlaftis mentioned in explaining his type of play. “I get after the quarterback. I cease the run. I really feel like I am a 3‐down participant, I am an all‐round participant that may do something and every thing that is requested of him, so I feel I deliver that to the desk. I really feel like I am very, very constant. I really feel like my greatest soccer is forward of me. … I have been solely enjoying soccer for about six to seven years now, so I am actually excited to develop beneath an amazing system, nice teammates, nice group.”

Karlaftis obtained a late begin in soccer as a result of he was born in Greece, the place soccer doesn’t have a lot presence, and lived there for a lot of his childhood. He moved along with his household to the USA when he was 13 and remains to be rising throughout the recreation.

As soon as he obtained began in soccer, Karlaftis discovered he was not solely good at it, however loved it as nicely.

“My mother and father pushed me to do nearly each sport possible,” Karlaftis mentioned. “While you discover the one you’re keen on, work as laborious as you probably can at it. I feel there’s not a complete lot of sense of dedicating nearly your complete life to doing one thing that you do not do to the utmost potential each single time you are on the market.”

“I really like every thing about it,” Karlaftis mentioned of soccer. “I really like the offseason. I just like the psychological and bodily problem and pressure and the chess recreation. I like each single play is a single problem, each pre-snap, after the ball snap, throughout the play, whether or not it is executing your project, making the play, doing the appropriate factor, having the proper method and having to try this over and over and being excellent.

“On prime of every thing else, you’re keen on the locker room, proper? You like the connection and the bond you make with the teammates and every thing that comes with that.”

ESPN rated Karlaftis its No. 79 general participant within the 2019 school soccer recruiting class. He had gives from Alabama to Notre Dame. The Chiefs took him with the thirtieth general choose on this yr’s draft, however his late begin in soccer is a purpose to imagine his ceiling is rising.

“All of the those that we spoke to at Purdue simply mentioned all of his greatest soccer is in entrance of him,” Chiefs normal supervisor Brett Veach mentioned. “He had a water polo background, being born in Athens however getting to return over right here with a late begin to soccer, he picked it up rapidly. One factor that’s widespread in everybody that you simply discuss to about George is his strategy to the sport and the way essential it’s to him.”

The Chiefs misplaced one in all their prime pass-rushers from final season in defensive finish Melvin Ingram, who signed as a free agent with the Miami Dolphins. However Chris Jones and Frank Clark, who’ve been first and second on the crew in sacks in every of the previous three seasons, are returning.

Their presence may imply loads of pass-rush alternatives for a rookie defensive finish.

“While you’re a defensive lineman, you need to get one-on-ones, whether or not that is me or whoever,” Karlaftis mentioned. “You need to get guys which can be enjoying subsequent to you who’re actually, actually good gamers. Clearly, they’re nice gamers and that simply means extra success for me and the entire unit.”