George Karlaftis holds the LDE · Starter spot in Kansas City Chiefs’s edge room. Where he sits among the room’s front-line roles:

George Karlaftis played 16 games in 2025 with a 78% snap share.

George Karlaftis is a 6'4", 275-pound left defensive end for the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs selected him 30th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Purdue. In his rookie season, Karlaftis started all 17 regular season games and recorded 6.0 sacks, earning 2022 PFW/PFWA All-Rookie team honors. He posted 10.5 sacks in 2023, tied for the team lead, and 8.0 sacks in 2024. Through four seasons, Karlaftis has amassed 16.5 sacks in his first two years combined, ranking third in franchise history for that span. He currently holds a four-year contract extension with Kansas City.

Purdue2019 – 2021

Chiefs2022 — present

CollegePurdueDraftRound 1 · No. 30 overall · 2022 · KCHometownWest Lafayette, IN