Spirits are high surrounding the Kansas City Chiefs in more ways than one. With four straight AFC Championship game appearances, one of the game’s best quarterbacks in Patrick Mahomes, and a future Hall of Fame head coach in Andy Reid, what’s not to like?
More importantly, what more could you ask for? In short, defensive help, and a lot of it. Bottom-half defensive finishes in yards allowed have necessitated a youth movement on the defensive side of the ball in Kansas City.
Getting younger, cheaper, and more explosive on defense is paramount for a team looking to keep this Super Bowl window open and ensure that “title contention” is a phrase often used in Kansas City for years to come.
Fans of the Kansas City Chiefs shouldn’t overlook the selection of pass rusher George Karlaftis as a big part of the defense going forward.
Enter George Karlaftis, the 30th selection of the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, who brings youth and explosiveness to a less-than-productive defensive front for the AFC West’s six-time division champion. There are obvious questions about Karlaftis and who he has been as a college defensive end, and many pundits and fans alike cite lack of “bend” and speed, etc.—making Karlaftis out to be a reach or bad pick by this Chiefs front office.
While those question marks are there, Karlaftis is a 21-year-old prospect who has his best football ahead of him. His game can use some variance, and he isn’t the fastest defensive end, but, this is no reason to doubt what he can be for the Chiefs’ defensive front. Adding a young, moldable defender whose issues can be addressed through an NFL coaching staff and training regimen is an ideal proposition for a defensive front with more questions than answers.
Another upside is allowing Chris Jones to never again shift outside to defensive end. The addition of Karlaftis means Jones can eat up double teams, making life on the outside for Karlaftis easier and full of 1-on-1 matchups.
While he may struggle early on due to the natural shift to joining the NFL, prepare for George Karlaftis to play meaningful snaps on his way to becoming a dependable starter for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022.