WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Maxwell Football Club announced sophomore defensive end George Karlftis has been named to the preseason watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award. The award is presented annually to top collegiate defensive player in the nation.
Karlaftis is coming off a true freshman season that saw him lead the Boilermakers with 17.0 tackles for loss and tied for the team lead with 7.5 sacks in 2019. Starting all 12 games, he was fourth on the team with 54 total tackles, including 30 solo stops.
A second-team All-Big Ten selection by the media, Karlaftis was named a first-team Associated Press Freshman All-American upon the conclusion of the season.
Karlaftis is coming off a true freshman season that saw him lead the Boilermakers with 17.0 tackles for loss and tied for the team lead with 7.5 sacks in 2019. Starting all 12 games, he was fourth on the team with 54 total tackles, including 30 solo stops.
A second-team All-Big Ten selection by the media, Karlaftis was named a first-team Associated Press Freshman All-American upon the conclusion of the season.