The Kansas City Chiefs got their first victory of the season on Sunday in Jacksonville, primarily due to the play of the defense. The "Chiefense," as some are calling it, has never had a better start to a year under Steve Spagnuolo. One of the standouts for that unit has been second-year player George Karlaftis. In his sophomore season, the former first-round pick has really taken a leap with his level of play. Karlaftis has emerged as the Chiefs' best edge rusher, taking advantage of favorable matchups so far this season.
When you look back to Karlaftis's rookie season, most of his sacks and pressures could be attributed to effort. That is a good thing because teams want every player playing through the whistle and giving full effort but the earlier someone can get pressure on the quarterback, it disrupts the offense. This season, it is evident that the former Purdue Boilermaker is winning early in the rep, a positive sign of his development.
Coming out of college, Karlaftis was known as a power player. Everything in his game was through his strength and ability to crush the pocket. There was a concern that his rigidity would prevent him from developing the ability to win up the arc and bend the corner. Through hard work with acclaimed trainer Bobby Stroupe and former Chiefs Pro Bowler Tamba Hali, Karlaftis has become more flexible and developed a speed rush as part of his arsenal. That was displayed on his solo sack against Jacksonville as he went around the corner to win:
Another area where the sophomore edge rusher has taken a leap is in his intelligence. Karlaftis is reading what the offense is doing at a higher level. He trusts his eyes and stays disciplined when the offense tries to present "eye candy." There have been a few plays where the offense has tested him in space with a naked bootleg look. He held his ground and stayed on the quarterback, which ended in him forcing a throw-away or even batting the pass down himself.
Unlike when Karlaftis entered the NFL, Kansas City has depth and youth in the defensive end room. Not having that last year forced him into a ton of action as a rookie but even with the deeper room, he's still getting most of the snaps. Though Charles Omenihu has yet to touch the field for the Chiefs, even with his return, expect Karlaftis to stay on the field for the majority of the game. The growth in his skill and intelligence — on top of the trust he has from the coaching staff — makes him a true pillar of the Chiefs' defense.
Through two weeks, Karlaftis leads the Chiefs in pressures and is tied for the lead in sacks. Chris Jones's return to the field allows Karlaftis to slide back into the secondary pass rusher role, giving him more favorable matchups. That was the vision the Chiefs likely had in mind when they drafted him. While he's not the only secondary pass rusher in Kansas City, his earlier success has shown that he has grown into more than his initial projection may have suggested. Karlaftis won't turn 23 until after the season concludes; the strides he's made at such a young age provide a promising outlook for his future.
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