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Top Purdue freshman George Karlaftis staying hungry, ‘never satisfied’
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George Karlaftis brought plenty of expectations with him to West Lafayette. As one of the highest-rated recruits in Purdue history, the former high four-star defensive end has been a guy on everyone’s radar.
On Thursday, Karlaftis met with the media to talk about his progress through the early stages of fall camp. While he’s continuing to get acquainted with the college game, he says he’s still staying hungry on the field.
“No. Never satisfied,” Karlaftis responded when asked if he was pleased with his development thus far.
Short, sweet and to the point. Karlaftis has a chance to play this year and make an impact on the defensive line for the Boilermakers. But he’s still striving to improve every day.
He may not be satisfied with his progress, but Karlaftis does admit that his decision to enroll early at Purdue was a good one. It’s allowed him to get adjusted to a new level of food, familiar with scheme and improve on his weaknesses.
“That’s the best decision I’ve ever made,” Karlaftis said in a video posted by the Journal and Courier. “I knew going into camp how the speed of the game was. I knew how my opponents would be in terms of size and athletic ability. It was really good and I feel like I was way ahead of everyone else.”
Purdue could certainly use Karlaftis on the front line early. The Boilermakers struggled to get pressure on the quarterback last year, allowing opponents to torch Purdue through the air. Karlaftis’ speed and strength could help in that department.
The Boilers will open the season in Reno against Nevada on Aug. 30.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB