GBN Three Rounder

You have any thoughts on George Karlaftis?  I know he is projected to the Eagles in this one, but man he seemed like he had a motor watching him play this year. 

@"El_Padre" said: You have any thoughts on George Karlaftis?  I know he is projected to the Eagles in this one, but man he seemed like he had a motor watching him play this year. 

Haven't seen him yet, but I understand he's going to test out very well. If we can't get Ojabo or Sauce I wouldn't hate this.

Purdue EDGE defender George Karlaftis might be the best power rusher in this year’s class. This is a prospect who exploded onto the scene during a breakout 2019 freshman season and has since pieced together another tremendous campaign for the Boilermakers in 2021. I’m most impressed with Karlaftis’ motor and close quarters combat. He does not appear to play with the ideal length and separation skills as an edge defender, but he’s become quite refined as a puncher and with his shedding techniques to help enable him to win ground and get good “knockback” at the point of attack. Karlaftis moved to the United States at the age of 13 from Greece and was a high school stand out in both football and track & field, earning back-to-back state titles in Indiana for the shot put (60 feet, 0.5 inches as a junior) along with endless football accolades. Upon arriving with Purdue, Karlaftis quickly made an impact and was named a first-team Freshman All-American in 2019. His development as a player has seen him complement the urgency he plays with and raw power with more nuanced counters, precision striking, and a strong sense and feel for running the arc with speed. I get the sense that Karlaftis isn’t quite the same reactive athlete as some of his contemporaries in this year’s class, but he’s become quite the technician at the position and offers an impressive nose for rushing the passer. Karlaftis has rushed the passer from both two and three-point stances and gets strong release from his tilted two-point stance when he’s aligned at wider angles. Amid the debate about the value of speed and flexibility versus power on the edge, Karlaftis is going to be a testament to the latter. He wins many reps with his ability to roll blockers back on their heels and reducing the angles that he needs to work with in order to disrupt timing and comfort in the backfield before transitioning to the football. But don’t think he can’t claim outside wins, too. He’s fully capable of dipping the outside track or hitting an inside swim maneuver. He may not have the best pitches in his arsenal as a pass rusher out of this year’s class, but he might have the most. 

As usual J i T doesn’t want the white guy.

@"Lee 19" said: As usual J i T doesn’t want the white guy.

Oh for fucks sake.  Let this shit go already or take it to PMs,  this board isn't for your personal shit battles.

Let me guess General, you agree with Nick Adams that Tebow should be a QB in the NFL still?

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"Lee 19" said: As usual J i T doesn’t want the white guy.

Oh for fucks sake.  Let this shit go already or take it to PMs,  this board isn't for your personal shit battles.

First Step Explosiveness: There is very, very good get-off here at the line of scrimmage. When Karlaftis is committed to triggering and attacking up the field, he’ll be on top of pass sets before tackles know what hit them—from there he’s got a slew of attacks. His initial spring is good and his second and third steps are very dynamic to build power or, alternatively, accelerate with a hard redirection step on a shallow angle to potentially set him up to work back inside. 
Flexibility: You watch him play and you don’t expect to see him get through some of the creases that he does. Karlaftis is slippery in this regard and slides through chips, double teams, and framed blocks well. He’s got some natural leverage with his build, too, allowing for a low center of gravity and an effective edge track as he builds pace through his first few steps. The rush counters he displays are accentuated by a high degree of body control to get skinny or disassociate his hips and torso and still play with strength. 
Hand Counters: How many moves does Karlaftis have? How much time you got? I love the versatility he brings in this regard. He’ll win with all of your traditional moves, some of which are more successful than others. I do think he’s a little spin happy at times and doesn’t always have the crease needed to work into space and gain ground after using it. But his power conversion and bull rush are excellent and his jab does a lot of the work for him; given the power his hands provide and the respect they command, he’ll hit or sweep a punch away with good timing as he flashes the inside arm. 
Length: I don’t see a lot of separation in a lot of Karlaftis’ reps and I’m not confident he’s going to measure with a lot of anatomical length either. That’s certainly going to be a roadblock for some and makes his projection more murky than some of his contemporaries, especially since it does show at times. In instances where his punch power doesn’t win him control early, he can get sucked into the vacuum and disappear or get enveloped and washed out. It’s likely a big reason he’s become the nuanced technician that he has. But the lack of appeal here likely creates long-term barriers to opening more kinds of roles for him, particularly working as an interior alignment POA defender. 
Hand Power: The short windup that Karlaftis is afforded due to a lack of ideal length is actually a benefit here; he creates massive amounts of force in a short time in order to stun and overwhelm blockers. Don’t leave him on skill players in pass protection—he ate TEs and RBs alive and his long arm speed to power conversion claimed victims against many comers this past season, including against Notre Dame and the big upset win over then No. 2 Iowa. There’s redeeming value here to help offer confidence amid an untraditional build. 

Run Defending: Karlaftis is an effective penetration/slasher defender and his ability to create push when playing around or through bodies bodes well for him continuing to create disruption at the NFL level. He has missed some finishes on account of only modest length/tackle radius and lateral redirection skills, which does give me some pause. But his ability to dictate terms and play on the plus side of the line of scrimmage seems more likely to aggregate more good than harm and you’re going to be more than willing to live with disrupted plays that aren’t finished if they come at the same rate as they did at Purdue; particularly because he’s not going to miss them all. 
Effort (Motor): Tireless. This is the best trait that Karlaftis offers and as you watch him play you gain appreciation for a motor that never shuts off. He’s constantly firing through counters or ripping over a skill player attempting to chip. Hustle plays are a hallmark of his film and he’s an absolute mauler in close quarters if he decides he can bull you. 
Football IQ: I’m super impressed with Karlaftis’ acumen as a rusher. He appears to have a strong sense of reading weight distribution and body language of his blockers, allowing him to pick the right kind of attack coming out of the blocks for optimal disruption. He’s got a natural sense for feeling peel-back opportunities and his hand utilization is at the top of the charts for discarding bodies in traffic and continuing in pursuit. 
Lateral Mobility: I do wish his reactive quickness when needing to react late to ball flow was a little more dynamic—this is a divider for me between him and the top pass rushers in this year’s class in Hutchinson and Thibodeaux. When Karlaftis needs to drive and redirect, he’ll often overrun the target and gear down late, allowing the ball to escape his grasp and potentially break contain. Edge contain will need to be something he’s committed to because when he decides he’s coming or attacking, he doesn’t gear down easily.
Versatility: His frame appears to be fairly maxed out so I’m not sure you’ll have a chance to stack on the weight to get him into that 285/290 range and potentially open up a world of more consistent reps in the B-gap, but for a 275-pound guy, Karlaftis is quite effective on the edge and I’d like him plenty as either a standup rusher or as a hand in the dirt option. Shows great variance in his rush attacks to play with speed or power. 
Prospect Comparison: Justin Smith (2001 NFL Draft, Cincinnati Bengals)

@"Lee 19" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"Lee 19" said: As usual J i T doesn’t want the white guy.

Oh for fucks sake.  Let this shit go already or take it to PMs,  this board isn't for your personal shit battles.

Then be fair and tell him not to troll me anymore

@"JustinTime18™" said: Run Defending: Karlaftis is an effective penetration/slasher defender and his ability to create push when playing around or through bodies bodes well for him continuing to create disruption at the NFL level. He has missed some finishes on account of only modest length/tackle radius and lateral redirection skills, which does give me some pause. But his ability to dictate terms and play on the plus side of the line of scrimmage seems more likely to aggregate more good than harm and you’re going to be more than willing to live with disrupted plays that aren’t finished if they come at the same rate as they did at Purdue; particularly because he’s not going to miss them all.  Effort (Motor): Tireless. This is the best trait that Karlaftis offers and as you watch him play you gain appreciation for a motor that never shuts off. He’s constantly firing through counters or ripping over a skill player attempting to chip. Hustle plays are a hallmark of his film and he’s an absolute mauler in close quarters if he decides he can bull you.  Football IQ: I’m super impressed with Karlaftis’ acumen as a rusher. He appears to have a strong sense of reading weight distribution and body language of his blockers, allowing him to pick the right kind of attack coming out of the blocks for optimal disruption. He’s got a natural sense for feeling peel-back opportunities and his hand utilization is at the top of the charts for discarding bodies in traffic and continuing in pursuit.  Lateral Mobility: I do wish his reactive quickness when needing to react late to ball flow was a little more dynamic—this is a divider for me between him and the top pass rushers in this year’s class in Hutchinson and Thibodeaux. When Karlaftis needs to drive and redirect, he’ll often overrun the target and gear down late, allowing the ball to escape his grasp and potentially break contain. Edge contain will need to be something he’s committed to because when he decides he’s coming or attacking, he doesn’t gear down easily. Versatility: His frame appears to be fairly maxed out so I’m not sure you’ll have a chance to stack on the weight to get him into that 285/290 range and potentially open up a world of more consistent reps in the B-gap, but for a 275-pound guy, Karlaftis is quite effective on the edge and I’d like him plenty as either a standup rusher or as a hand in the dirt option. Shows great variance in his rush attacks to play with speed or power.  Prospect Comparison: Justin Smith (2001 NFL Draft, Cincinnati Bengals)

I watched Karlaftis basically beat Iowa like he was the greatest player to every play the game of football. I think he had 150 pressures that game? Dude's legit...I dont think he's Hutchinson and Kayvon level, but certainly at the top of the next tier. I'm holding out hope Danielle is still healthy and good so I would prefer either trading down or just take Sauce in this scenario as I think he's a shut down corner and we need that.

Here's Ojabo

First Step Explosiveness: When he decides to drive out of the blocks and attack with speed, he’s usually going to claim wins with a high level of consistency. His actual get-off is impacted at times with a false step out of the blocks, which cuts down on how effective he’s gaining ground initially. If he cleans that up, he’s going to be a terror in speed rushes and in wide angled opportunities, where he’ll stress tackles and break down pass sets before even initiating contact. 
Flexibility: The ability to flatten at the top of the arc is impressive and has allowed his sack production to explode in 2021. His raw movement skills are pretty special and allow him to drive into resistance and carry speed and force effectively. I’m impressed with his body control as well on some of his rush counters to maximize his length and extension skills and sustain the needed force to clear hands off his frame and play through recovery contact from offensive linemen. 
Hand Counters: What is most intriguing and exciting about Ojabo's game is the presence of a number of high-level pass-rush maneuvers. He's shown a hesitation move out of his speed rush to freeze tackles to protect inside and oversetting tackles have been pinned by an inside spin move that features a firm "ice pick" by the outside arm to finish. That, paired with the speed rush and rip move off the edge, give him enough variance to be a viable threat early on, especially with his elite physical traits. 
Length: Ojabo’s anatomical length is top-shelf and his ability to flash hands and dictate punch timing from tackles or alternatively use that length to seal hands off of his frame with rush counters is going to afford him a lot of luxuries when he’s attacking pass sets. Ojabo’s tackle radius is boosted by his reach as well and he’s got a prominent presence on the edge of the pocket to bat passes or swipe at the football and create turnover opportunities. 
Hand Power: There are examples of violence and deliberate intent to dislodge hands from his frame. When his strikes do land, he’ll successfully chop or rip free. But in read and react situations, Ojabo appears to be a bit more prone to catching blocks and that’s where he’ll get bubbled from his spot. This is clearly an explosive athlete and there’s plenty of raw power at his disposal, but he needs to tighten his strike zone to help him win more reps early. 
Run Defending: This aspect of Ojabo’s game represents the phase with the most improvement to be found. Right now, Ojabo is a slasher who wins by attacking forward and beating blockers to the spot; which there will be room for in the NFL as well. But if he’s going to be a more complete player, further navigating and deconstructing blocks with efficiency will need to be developed. He’s got the length and enough mass to stack blockers effectively, but needs to ensure his placement, timing, and extension skills are honed in order to protect his frame from being swallowed at the point of attack. 

Effort (Motor): There are some lulls in his play but I’m inclined to think they’re due to uncertainty of how to navigate certain situations and not a matter of effort or enthusiasm. You’ll see him concede some space and struggle to recollect himself with high pads if he’s catching hands and unable to leverage into a low-man posture at first contact. But when he’s rushing the passer, he’s a demon off the edge and comes screaming through the frame with suddenness. Effort in flow and pursuit is tremendous as well; I’ve watched him get on his horse and run down opposing players while giving up 10+ yards to the ball and he does so while moving at a different pace than the rest of his teammates. 
Football IQ: There are some wrinkles that need to be ironed out and developed—understandably so given that he’s only played organized football since his junior year of high school. The finer points of stacking and deconstructing blocks at the point of attack are hit or miss and the quickness in which he transitions from initial blow to shedding counters needs to quicken for better results. But above all the inconsistencies, I am super impressed with his nose for the football and his natural feel for soft spaces in the pocket. He’s a ball-hunter and strips the ball from opposing quarterbacks on sacks at a surreal rate. 
Lateral Mobility: Ojabo is a phenomenal athlete and a player fully capable of driving in space as a reactive athlete to expand the edge if teams try to option off of his platform on the perimeter. His initial explosiveness translates beyond a linear path and he can offer the same suddenness to both crash across the face of an overset or to flip his hips open to the boundary against the run. 
Versatility: I think there’s a lot of untapped potential for Ojabo as a pure athlete and the potential exists for him to become a very diverse defensive weapon. But with that said, I would ultimately prefer to see him land in a place that will offer stability and a clear, single role in the defense before adding a larger menu of responsibilities to his plate. In time, I see an every-down rush linebacker with the potential to play to the field or boundary, to or away from the run strength, and play forward or backward. But build him up methodically and with purpose. 
Prospect Comparison: Robert Quinn (2011 NFL Draft, St. Louis Rams)

League guys are much lower on Karlaftis than mocks/media. I like Ojabo as a raw prospect but probably would take Booth. He's going to rise up as is Sauce Gardner throughout the process. 

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"Lee 19" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"Lee 19" said: As usual J i T doesn’t want the white guy.

Oh for fucks sake.  Let this shit go already or take it to PMs,  this board isn't for your personal shit battles.

Then be fair and tell him not to troll me anymore

Thats fair,   everybody leave Lee alone ,  if you can't respond to him in a civil manner then ignore his posts.

As a Michigan fan and saw Ojabo play on a weekly basis, he made an astronomical leap from last year. As a pro scout I think I would want another year in school to prove it wasn't a flukey Hutchinson affect, and work out some inconsistencies. Huge upside, but definitely limited sample size.

@"mgobluevikes" said: As a Michigan fan and saw Ojabo play on a weekly basis, he made an astronomical leap from last year. As a pro scout I think I would want another year in school to prove it wasn't a flukey Hutchinson affect, and work out some inconsistencies. Huge upside, but definitely limited sample size.

Idk why but I feel the same. I will admit I didnt pay a lot of attention to him but I know he got a lot of favorable matchups dude to Hutchinson. Do we really want to draft a DE at 12 who was the second best on his team?

@"Hawkvike25" said:

@"mgobluevikes" said: As a Michigan fan and saw Ojabo play on a weekly basis, he made an astronomical leap from last year. As a pro scout I think I would want another year in school to prove it wasn't a flukey Hutchinson affect, and work out some inconsistencies. Huge upside, but definitely limited sample size.

Idk why but I feel the same. I will admit I didnt pay a lot of attention to him but I know he got a lot of favorable matchups dude to Hutchinson. Do we really want to draft a DE at 12 who was the second best on his team?

@"mgobluevikes" said: As a Michigan fan and saw Ojabo play on a weekly basis, he made an astronomical leap from last year. As a pro scout I think I would want another year in school to prove it wasn't a flukey Hutchinson affect, and work out some inconsistencies. Huge upside, but definitely limited sample size.

I don't trust Ojabo yet, either.

If we were going to look at another DE in the draft, I really like Jermaine Johnson. Put up 12 sacks this year for FSU playing all over the defensive line and was the ACC defensive player of the year after transferring from Georgia. 6'5" 262 pounds, uses his hands really well and is able to close. Long arms. Great awareness and stacks against the run. He is my 3rd ranked DE ahead of Karlaftis and Ojabo. I didn't know who he was when the season started but watched him absolutely destroy my Irish in our opening game and put him on my radar the rest of the season.