The Kansas City Chiefs pass rush has been one of the team’s best assets through nine weeks of the 2023 season, and one of its most effective players has been second-year defensive lineman George Karlaftis.
A Purdue product, Karlaftis’ penchant for harassing quarterbacks warranted his selection in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but nobody could have predicted his meteoric rise to become one of the best pass rushers in the NFL this year.
George Karlaftis: 47 QB pressures this season
7th in the NFL 😤📈 pic.twitter.com/wzWeJgCQsn
— PFF KC Chiefs (@PFF_Chiefs) November 7, 2023
According to Pro Football Focus, Karlaftis ranks seventh among all defenders in the league with 47 pressures on the season.
This remarkable number contextualizes just how impressive the former Boilermaker has been through nine games, and is a good indication that Kansas City has a star on its hands up front.
With help from fellow linemen Chris Jones and Charles Omenihu, Karlaftis should be able to continue his mean streak to become a cornerstone of the Chiefs’ future.
