For the first time in over a decade, Purdue has produced a first-round pick.

Thursday night, George Karlaftis was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the No. 30 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He’s the first Boilermaker to be picked in the first round since defensive end Ryan Kerrigan was picked up by Washington in 2011.

Karlaftis was regarded as one of the top defensive players from the B1G during the 2021 season, though his numbers weren’t quite as eye-popping as you might expect.

Last season, Karlaftis totaled 41 tackles, including 11.5 for loss and 5 sacks. He also had 8 quarterback hurries, 3 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. He was a catalyst in Purdue’s defensive transformation last fall.

Purdue ended the year with a 9-4 record, which included upset victories over No. 2 Iowa and No. 3 Michigan State. It was the best year for the Boilermakers since 2003.

Karlaftis’s lower numbers in 2021 can be contributed to the fact that he saw so many double- and triple-teams from opposing lines through a majority of the year. Teams were able to hone in on Karlaftis because of Purdue’s lack of depth up front.

In his three seasons in West Lafayette, Karlaftis racked up 97 tackles with 29 for loss and 14 sacks. He has the potential to be a quick-impact player for the Chiefs as a rookie.