WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue defensive end George Karlaftis was named First Team All-Big Ten by the conference coaches and media, as the league office announced defensive honors Tuesday afternoon on Big Ten Network.
Karlaftis, a West Lafayette, Indiana, native, earned all-conference honors for the second time in his career after collecting Second Team All-Big Ten accolades following his 2019 freshman campaign.
With the honor, Karlaftis became the first Boilermaker on the defensive side of the ball to be tabbed First Team All-Big Ten since defensive tackle Kawann Short in 2012.
Karlaftis has been one of the best defensive players in the Big Ten all season long, exemplified as a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award that is given to the college football defensive player of the year. He leads the Boilermakers in tackles for loss (11.5), sacks (5.0), forced fumbles (3), fumble recoveries (2) and quarterback hurries (8). Karlaftis' tackles for loss rank seventh in the Big Ten, recording at least 1.0 TFL in eight of nine conference games. The junior is one of only four Big Ten defenders to force at least three fumbles throughout the 2021 campaign.
Perhaps his most memorable play of the season was a 56-yard fumble return for a touchdown against Wisconsin (Oct. 23). However, Karlaftis has been a force in some of Purdue's biggest wins, as well. In a road victory at No. 2 Iowa (Oct. 16), the edge rusher produced 12 pressure to help the Boilermakers hand the Hawkeyes their first loss of the season. Facing another unbeaten team at the time, Karlaftis forced a fumble and recovered one as well as Purdue knocked off No. 3 Michigan State at home (Nov. 6).
In the win over Northwestern at Wrigley Field (Nov. 20), Karlaftis blocked the first field goal of his career; it was the first field goal blocked by a Boilermaker since 2018.
In addition to Karlaftis making the conference's first team, five other Boilermakers on the defensive side of the ball were tabbed honorable mention: Jaylan Alexander, Cam Allen, Branson Deen, Jalen Graham and Dedrick Mackey.
Alexander earned the accolades for the second straight season. The senior linebacker leads Purdue with 95 tackles, which includes his giant 15-tackle game against Wisconsin. For that single game performance, Alexander became just the fifth Boilermaker since 2000 to tally at least 15 tackles in a contest.
Not far behind Alexander in the tackles category is Allen, who ranks third on the team with 56. His four interceptions put Allen third in the conference and 11th nationally. He picked off a pass in the season opener vs. Oregon State (Sept. 4) before hauling in two interceptions in the big victory at Iowa. Allen also added a pick at Nebraska (Oct. 30), another Big Ten road victory for the Boilermakers.
Sharing the defensive line with Karlaftis, Deen is second behind his teammate in tackles for loss (9.5). The Indianapolis native tallied a career-high 3.0 TFLs in Saturday's Old Oaken Bucket game, as the Purdue defense limited Indiana to seven points in a 37-point victory.
Graham's season is highlighted by a two-interception game at Nebraska. He returned one of them for a touchdown, becoming the first Boilermaker to register a pick-six since 2019. Graham's performance against the Cornhuskers helped him earn Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 1).
Rounding out Purdue's honorable mentions, Mackey ranks seventh in the Big Ten with three interceptions on the season. He has recorded 37 tackles in the secondary to go along with a pair of TFLs and a forced fumble.
Mitchell Fineran is just one of three Purdue kickers in history to make at least 20 field goals in a season, converting on 80 percent of his attempts to rank fourth in the conference. He started the 2021 campaign by going 3 for 3 in the win over Oregon State, which included a season-long 49-yarder. Fineran has produced a pair of four-field goal games as well, helping the Boilermakers pick up conference wins over No. 3 Michigan State and Northwestern.
Junior tight end Payne Durham was honored with a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
The Big Ten will release its list of All-Big Ten honors on offense, along with individual offensive awards, on Wednesday (Dec. 1).
Karlaftis, a West Lafayette, Indiana, native, earned all-conference honors for the second time in his career after collecting Second Team All-Big Ten accolades following his 2019 freshman campaign.
With the honor, Karlaftis became the first Boilermaker on the defensive side of the ball to be tabbed First Team All-Big Ten since defensive tackle Kawann Short in 2012.
Karlaftis has been one of the best defensive players in the Big Ten all season long, exemplified as a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award that is given to the college football defensive player of the year. He leads the Boilermakers in tackles for loss (11.5), sacks (5.0), forced fumbles (3), fumble recoveries (2) and quarterback hurries (8). Karlaftis' tackles for loss rank seventh in the Big Ten, recording at least 1.0 TFL in eight of nine conference games. The junior is one of only four Big Ten defenders to force at least three fumbles throughout the 2021 campaign.
Perhaps his most memorable play of the season was a 56-yard fumble return for a touchdown against Wisconsin (Oct. 23). However, Karlaftis has been a force in some of Purdue's biggest wins, as well. In a road victory at No. 2 Iowa (Oct. 16), the edge rusher produced 12 pressure to help the Boilermakers hand the Hawkeyes their first loss of the season. Facing another unbeaten team at the time, Karlaftis forced a fumble and recovered one as well as Purdue knocked off No. 3 Michigan State at home (Nov. 6).
In the win over Northwestern at Wrigley Field (Nov. 20), Karlaftis blocked the first field goal of his career; it was the first field goal blocked by a Boilermaker since 2018.
In addition to Karlaftis making the conference's first team, five other Boilermakers on the defensive side of the ball were tabbed honorable mention: Jaylan Alexander, Cam Allen, Branson Deen, Jalen Graham and Dedrick Mackey.
Alexander earned the accolades for the second straight season. The senior linebacker leads Purdue with 95 tackles, which includes his giant 15-tackle game against Wisconsin. For that single game performance, Alexander became just the fifth Boilermaker since 2000 to tally at least 15 tackles in a contest.
Not far behind Alexander in the tackles category is Allen, who ranks third on the team with 56. His four interceptions put Allen third in the conference and 11th nationally. He picked off a pass in the season opener vs. Oregon State (Sept. 4) before hauling in two interceptions in the big victory at Iowa. Allen also added a pick at Nebraska (Oct. 30), another Big Ten road victory for the Boilermakers.
Sharing the defensive line with Karlaftis, Deen is second behind his teammate in tackles for loss (9.5). The Indianapolis native tallied a career-high 3.0 TFLs in Saturday's Old Oaken Bucket game, as the Purdue defense limited Indiana to seven points in a 37-point victory.
Graham's season is highlighted by a two-interception game at Nebraska. He returned one of them for a touchdown, becoming the first Boilermaker to register a pick-six since 2019. Graham's performance against the Cornhuskers helped him earn Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 1).
Rounding out Purdue's honorable mentions, Mackey ranks seventh in the Big Ten with three interceptions on the season. He has recorded 37 tackles in the secondary to go along with a pair of TFLs and a forced fumble.
Mitchell Fineran is just one of three Purdue kickers in history to make at least 20 field goals in a season, converting on 80 percent of his attempts to rank fourth in the conference. He started the 2021 campaign by going 3 for 3 in the win over Oregon State, which included a season-long 49-yarder. Fineran has produced a pair of four-field goal games as well, helping the Boilermakers pick up conference wins over No. 3 Michigan State and Northwestern.
Junior tight end Payne Durham was honored with a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
The Big Ten will release its list of All-Big Ten honors on offense, along with individual offensive awards, on Wednesday (Dec. 1).