EDGE, Purdue
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 275 lbs
Class: Junior
Karlaftis moved to the United States from Greece as a 13 year old. He has a background as a multi-sport athlete and even played water polo for the Greek national team. He was a highly-regarded recruit coming out of high school, listed as the No. 1 prospect in the state of Indiana and the No. 59 overall prospect in the 2019 class.
Karlaftis earned offers from 16 schools, including many of the blue blood college football programs. He stayed in-state and committed to the Boilermakers, becoming one of their defensive stars as a true freshman. His 2020 season was cut short due to injury and COVID-19, before an All-American junior season that saw him rack up 54 pressures and 29 defensive stops.
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Strengths
Karlaftis is one of the most effective pass rushers in this class. At 6’4″ and 275 lbs he has great size for the position and the play strength to match. His hands are incredibly powerful and once he gets inside the frame of an opponent he is able to easily dictate the matchup. His bull rush is particularly effective and allowed him to generate a tonne of pressure during his time at Purdue. He is already built like an NFL defensive lineman and should have no problem translating this aspect of his game to the next level.
Karlaftis isn’t just a power rusher though. He is also a very good athlete, with legitimate short area quickness to challenge tackles out of their stance. He pairs these physical tools with an advanced set of pass rushing moves and the ability to counter if his initial plan fails. This allowed him to become one of the most reliable pass rushers in the country. Karlaftis finished his Purdue career with 117 total pressures, including 15 sacks, on just 834 pass rushing snaps.
Teams are also going to love Karlaftis’ versatility. His athletic profile allows him to work effectively off the edge and he is more than comfortable working from a wide-9 alignment. He also has the strength to play as an interior lineman and will cause problems when lined up over guards. Karlaftis is a true hybrid rusher with a scheme-versatile skillset.
In addition to his production and versatility, Karlaftis also plays the game with a really high motor. This jumps off the tape and his effort is consistently outstanding. He barely left the field for Purdue, averaging almost 56 snaps per game in 2021 and over 70 as a true freshman. His ability to be consistently competitive on a snap-to-snap basis is hugely impressive and will go down well with NFL scouts.
Weaknesses
The biggest weakness to Karlaftis’ game is his lack of bend and flexibility. Whilst his overall athletic profile is very good, he doesn’t have the ankle flexion and loose hips to be consistently effective as an outside track rusher. This wasn’t a major issue in college, but is likely to show up more when he reaches the NFL and faces more athletic offensive tackles.
Despite being a bigger edge, Karlaftis also has less-than-ideal arm length. This causes issues when opponents get inside his frame and he struggles to free himself. This showed up against the run, where Karlaftis would get stuck on blocks and lack the tackle radius to reliably bring down the ball carrier. It is also a concern given how much his game relies on his ability to bull rush opposing linemen.
Bottom Line
Karlaftis has the play strength and power to be a force at the next level. The fact he pairs this with a refined pass rushing arsenal and positional versatility will only serve to elevate his stock further. His below average bend and length might put him below the top tier edges in this class, but he should be an impact player as a rookie.
Ideal role: 4-3 defensive end
Round projection: 1st round
