Andy Reid Admits Chiefs Had to ‘Slow Down’ First-Round Pick at OTAs

He was selected with the No. 30 pick out of Purdue and isn’t a fan of going easy during practice.

NFL rookies can be a little too excited for their first taste of NFL action and Chiefs first-round pick George Karlaftis is no exception. The defensive end out of Purdue is known for having a high motor but coach Andy Reid said the team had to tell Karlaftis to take it easy during organized team activities. 

“He goes 100 miles an hour,” Reid said, per ESPN. “Walk-throughs, everything. We had to slow him down.”

Karlaftis was taken with the No. 30 pick by Kansas City in order to bolster their weak pass rush. The Chiefs were No. 29 in sacks last year and the 6’4” All-American should make a significant difference on defense. 

“He moves around well when he’s in space. He’s got good hands, it looks like … but that motor is probably the thing that jumps out at you,” Reid said. “He goes and goes.”

The 21-year-old had 39 tackles and 4.5 sacks for Purdue this past year where he was also named first-team All-Big Ten. 

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