Purdue EDGE George Karlaftis

6-foot-4
266 pounds

Yahoo Sports' 2022 NFL draft grade

6.23 — possible first-rounder; possible immediate starter

TL;DR scouting report

Hard-charging power rusher with limitless energy and strong hands, but his all-around game remains a bit raw and underdveloped

The skinny

A 4-star Rivals recruit (No. 137 nationally) in the Class of 2019, Karlaftis committed to his hometown Boilermakers over several schools, including Alabama, Clemson, USC and Miami. He enrolled early and won a starting job immediately, logging 54 tackles (17 for losses), 7.5 sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and two recoveries. He suffered from a leg injury and a COVID diagnosis in 2020, limited to three games (four tackles, two sacks) before returning strong in 2021 with 41 tackles (6.5 for losses), three sacks, two batted passes and three forced fumbles. Karlaftis declared for the 2022 NFL draft after the season.

Upside

• Broad-framed, well-sculpted physique — thickly built and able to handle trench rigors

• Brings relentless energy to the table — hot motor stays revved for a 60-minute battle

• Very good athlete with some explosiveness — turned in very good vertical (38 inches) and broad jump numbers (10-foot-1) at NFL combine

• Great stamina — 15 games of 60-plus plays in his career, high of 88 (as true freshman)

• Active, strong, big (10 1/4 inches) hands — four career forced fumbles, three in 2021

• Strong enough to forklift defenders and overpower them

• Looked like a future NFL player in his first college game as freshman in 2019

• Registered a lot of "almost sacks" — hits and pressures that affected quarterbacks

• Enough quickness to beat pullers to the spot (see Northwestern, Purdue games)

• Gets low, sinks hips and generates power and burst on contact

• Flashes Euro-step pass rush to generate clean inside rushes

• Strings and combines moves effectively

• Rarely stays completely blocked and/or demands combo blocks

• Inside-outside versatility — well-built to handle third-down duty inside

• Hard target on his back last season — didn't see lot of single-blocking assignments

• Walked back Minnesota's 385-pound tackle, Daniel Faalele, a few times

• Turns 21 years old this April — still quite young to grow and develop

• Still new to football with vast upside

• Had standout season as true freshman with young breakout age (18)

Downside

• Squatty frame and below-average length — shade below 6-foot-4, with 32 5/8-inch arms

• Will need to add counters to his bull rushes in the league, considering lack of length

• Offers nothing in coverage — never dropped in college and likely never will

• Can be fooled by backside play action and lose sight of the ball

• Taken out occasionally by cut blocks, chips and sniffer blocks

• Speed rush not really a calling card but uses it often on passing downs

• Sack production is so-so — 12.5 sacks in 27 career games

• Still not an elite run defender — must use leverage, locate ball better

• Disappointing result on the bench press with shorter arms — only 21 reps

• Development remains ongoing process — only started playing football in high school

Best-suited destination

Karlaftis figures to add energy to a DL group, capable of playing either EDGE spot or kicking inside on passing downs. He's a down lineman and shouldn't be asked to drop as a 3-4 linebacker, but his high-motor style and relative versatility should give him mass appeal in the league. There will be some adjustments to NFL speed and power, and Karlaftis might not have 13-sack potential, but he will be a valuable three-down defender at some point.

Did you know

Karlaftis moved from Athens, Greece to West Lafayette, Indiana in eighth grade, which is also when he began playing football. For more on Karlaftis' terrific backstory, read this great feature from Yahoo Sports' Tyler Greenawalt.

Player comp

He gives us some Trey Flowers vibes, but with shorter arms and a bit more athletic juice.

Expected draft range

Back half of Round 1