Jacksonville sits at 2-6 on the season without much of even an outside chance at making the playoffs. This team has taken steps forward in some regards, and rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence has shown flashes of the generational talent he was believed to possess when he was drafted. But the bottom line is this: the Jaguars need to surround him with more talent on both sides of the ball.
Barring a major turnaround in the second half of the season, this team appears to be heading for yet another top-10 pick, and the latest 2022 mock draft from Pro Football Network has the team addressing the defense by drafting edge rusher George Karlaftis from Purdue with the fifth pick to pair alongside Josh Allen.
The run on edge defenders not named Kayvon starts here as George Karlaftis heads south to Jacksonville. The Purdue standout is still evolving his game. Nonetheless, he presents a challenge as offensive tackles should struggle to match his blend of speed and power. Karlaftis is a massive man with a football intelligence that rivals anyone else in the class.
A native of Greece who spent his teenage years in West Lafayette, Indiana, Karlaftis was a top 60 prospect in the 2019 recruiting class but decided to join the hometown Boilermakers.
A junior who stands at 6-foot-4, 275 pounds, Karlaftis was a Second-Team All-Big Ten selection in 2019 and 2020. He hasn’t been able to replicate the 7.5 sacks he totaled as a true freshman, but he still has 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and 25 tackles on the year.
Common predicted picks for the Jags have included Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal, Texas A&M defensive tackle DeMarvin Leal, and Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton. But edge is certainly a need, as K’Lavon Chaisson hasn’t shown many signs of improvement during his second year in the league.
Karlaftis would be a bit of a gamble considering the fact that his production has dropped off over the final two years, but he also fits one of the team’s biggest needs on defense.
