Spotlight On Furious George: Unbridled Homerism Edition (for Team Player & RIP58)

Here we go again, guys.  Your favorite idiots are back at it again (mostly upamtn with a subtle push over The Cliffs of Insanity from BRaG) and this week our topic is George Karlaftis.  How good is he?  How good can he be?  How did he go from a well-regarded rookie to a Certified Beast in his second season?  Let’s take a look and see what we have.

A Prediction from May 25, 2023 | RGR Football

George Karlaftis III (Yoros Matthew Karlaftis) aka Furious George is a 6′ 4″, 263 lb Defensive End, drafted in the 1st Round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Purdue.  At just 23 years old, he’s already beginning to blossom into a terror for opposing QBs, and that’s a good thing for Chiefs fans.

April 29, 2022: Karlaftis gets “The Call” from Brett Veach and Andy Reid | Kansas City Chiefs

An immediate starter on the Defensive Line as a rookie, Karlaftis made noticeable progress from 2022 to 2023 in almost every metric, and there’s no reason he shouldn’t take another step or two forward in 2024 and be one the top Edge players in the NFL.  While his rookie season was pretty good and he ended up with 6 Sacks and 11 QB Hits, his 2nd year was remarkably improved (in most categories) with 10.5 Sacks and 17 QB Hits, as well as a 30% increase in overall tackles.

Stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference

He’s already had the best coaching from D-Line Coach Joe Cullen and DC Steve Spagnuolo, tips from Chris Jones, Carlos Dunlap and Frank Clark, and that’s not to mention learning some hand-fighting skills from none other than Chiefs legend Tamba Hali, who still works with him, from time to time..  His hard work has paid off as his stats clearly show.

Karlaftis with Hali April 15, 2023 | Chiefs Country

So, just what has Karlaftis learned from all of his mentors, and how does he put that knowledge to work on the Defensive Line ?  Well, how about a “deep dive” into some of his signature moves with a video that’s from a YouTube channel very appropriately called Film Study for Rookies (and upamtn most certainly qualifies when it comes to film study).

Posted July 1, 2024 | Film Study For Rookies

According to the above film study of highlights, Karlaftis has been learning to “do the Swim!” or something like that.  H’s developed great handwork, a nice rip move, seems to understand physics and momentum at an innate level, has terrific footwork and leverage, and he’s just plain quick, especially compared to big, bulky O-Linemen.  Karlaftis almost reminds one of Tamba Hali:  not the biggest, not the fastest, not the strongest, but a guy with relentless pursuit and a motor that doesn’t stop.  He can often out-maneuver the other guy, and he’s difficult to double team.  Just as Hali had Jared Allen as a running mate early in his career, Karlaftis has Chris Jones, and he can cut under, back or around his opponents, depending on the situation, as the Niners learned last February.

Karlaftis vs Niners in Super Bowl LVIII | Jackson Krueger Sports

Much like Hali, Karlaftis seems to be poised for a “breakout season” in 20204, and we wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up with 15 sacks.  One thing is certain:  regardless of the opponent, Furious George will not be overlooked.  He’s already made his mark in the NFL, and he’s on an upward trajectory.  Assuming he stays healthy and that Spags provides him with enough help along the way, there’s no reason to think that Karlaftis will have fewer than double-digit sacks along the way as his career unfolds, and should be among the league leaders for the foreseeable future.  Just now entering his prime years, George Karlaftis should be a major “force to be reckoned with” by the rest of the league for another 7 years as one of the premiere pass rushers in the NFL.

Bold (Idiotic?) 2024 Predictions and Hot Taeks

BRaG:  Sacks 12.5 – QB Hits 20 – TFL 9

upamtn:  Sacks 15 – QB Hits 20 – TFL 12

With that said:  Time’s Yours

About Author

upamtn

Fan since the Chiefs moved to KC from Dallas … former educator and avid music freak (The Blues!), proprietor of horrible puns and sarcasm, believer of SCIENCE (Bill Nye the Science Guy, Mythbusters, NOVA) … seeker of Peace, Love & BBQ (yes, the Big Bang woke me up from a nap)

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