At the end of the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, the Kansas City Chiefs selected a top pass rusher, George Karlaftis. He has lived up to expectations, providing the franchise with much-needed pass-rushing help. Now in his fourth year, he’s targeting impressive sack totals and a lucrative contract.

There’s no doubt the 2022 draft class has been the best in Chiefs franchise history. One standout pick has been defensive end George Karlaftis. In three seasons, he has accumulated 24.5 sacks and 115 tackles. He has been the consistent performer the Chiefs expected when they made him a first-round pick.
His best season was 2023, when he recorded 10.5 sacks and was a force in the postseason. By his standards, 2024 might have been a letdown, but the Chiefs’ defense had trouble getting sacks, and with a revamped line, that should improve this year.

Karlaftis is also in a unique spot because the team has guaranteed his fifth-year option in 2026, and he’s heading for a big payday. However, to get the big bucks from the Chiefs, Karlaftis needs to improve his game and become a double-digit sack player.
Moreover, will he accept a hometown deal for the Chiefs?
With significant salary cap space opening up in 2026 and beyond, re-signing Trey Smith, Trent McDuffie, and Karlaftis remains the top priority for General Manager Brett Veach.
That’s a lot of money to invest in your team’s core, but Karlaftis, regarded as a lower priority than Smith and McDuffie, might be the most valuable.

If you want to succeed as a defensive player in the pass-happy AFC, you’d better be able to collapse the pocket and sack the quarterback. Karlaftis has been under the tutelage of former Chiefs standout Tamba Hali, which has improved his overall play.
Still, he needs to take the next step and become a force opposite Chris Jones. Like any other pass rusher, some games he struggles to get pressure, while other games he’s as dominant a defender as the Chiefs have on defense.
The one thing that stands out to me is that he’s a tireless worker both off the field and on it. He doesn’t give up on plays, and he’s always chasing the big play. That’s a rare mentality in today’s game.
Sure, some guys go full speed, but Karlaftis is relentless. That’s the main reason the Chiefs need to find the cap space and funds to keep him. Now, the Chiefs did draft another pass rusher with similar traits as Karlaftis in the 2025 draft.

Ashton Gillotte was a third-round pick, and from all accounts, his game closely resembles Karlaftis. In fact, before the draft—and without knowing they’d later become teammates—the two trained together during the off-season.
Gillotte is a solid choice, and rotating these teammates benefits the Chiefs’ defense. Still, Veach always looks ahead when making draft selections. It’s possible Gillotte could replace Karlaftis in 2027.
To turn the tide, Karlaftis needs to prove his worth to the franchise and become even more dominant than he was in 2023. That means he needs a career year to push the Chiefs’ hand before the start of the 2026 season.
My money is on Karlaftis to break the ceiling. He has the look of a lifetime Chiefs player, with the desire and skill to play his entire career in Kansas City.