National media outlet makes prediction for Chiefs rookie in 2022 that could lead to a championship
CBS Sports made a prediction this week for Kansas City Chiefs rookie pass rusher George Karlaftis that would be absolutely massive for the team in 2022. Tyler Sullivan, an NFL writer for CBS Sports, made five "bold predictions" for the 2022 NFL season on Thursday. And he has Karlaftis winning the defensive rookie of the […]
CBS Sports made a prediction this week for Kansas City Chiefs rookie pass rusher George Karlaftis that would be absolutely massive for the team in 2022.
Tyler Sullivan, an NFL writer for CBS Sports, made five "bold predictions" for the 2022 NFL season on Thursday.
And he has Karlaftis winning the defensive rookie of the year award.
Karlaftis, a former Purdue standout, was the No. 30 overall pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
The first-round pass rusher for the Chiefs is expected to have a solid role along this defense, which gives him a lane to beat the 20-1 odds and win Defensive Rookie of the Year. He had two sacks over the preseason and that is the type of statistic that is going to have voters' attention.
He'll be playing for a Chiefs team that will be a Super Bowl contender throughout the year and still boasts an offense that should be able to get up on teams early. That sets up a game script for him to be able to tee off against opposing quarterbacks and pump up his stats, especially with the likes of Chris Jones and Frank Clark garnering most of the attention. If he can disrupt the quarterback as he did at Purdue, the 6-foot-4, 275-pounder will have a national stage to state his case.
If this prediction comes true, it could mean that Kansas City is Super Bowl bound.
The biggest thing that held the Chiefs back last season was their lack of an effective pass rush.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was sacked 19 times in four playoff games last season. Only one of those sacks came at the hands of the Chiefs.
If Kansas City gets to Burrow a few more times, they likely win the AFC Championship game and head to Super Bowl LVI instead of Cincinnati.
The Chiefs didn't do a lot to upgrade their pass rush this offseason, so Karlaftis should definitely have plenty of opportunities to make an impact. The rookie could truly be a game-changer for Kansas City in 2022.
Featured image via Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
