Kansas City Chiefs DE George Karlaftis (56) - Christian Petersen/Getty Images
The Super Bowl is a couple of days away, and a couple of former Purdue players may appear. The big game will be held between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs. Here is a look at the former Purdue players, and what the 2024 season has been like for them.
Former Purdue Players in Super Bowl
There are two former Purdue players on the roster for the Super Bowl. One on the Chiefs and one on the 49ers. Here is a look at both players, their time at Purdue, and what place they will have in the Super Bowl this week.
George Karlaftis
Defensive end, George Karlaftis is in his second year of the NFL. He is one of the two former Purdue players that will be seen this weekend. Karlaftis was taken in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Chiefs with the 2022 overall pick.
The defensive end out of Purdue spent three years with the Boilermakers. His first season was in 2019 and he started out as a strong player. According to Purdue Sports, Karlaftis made First-Team AP Freshman All-American. He also made Second-team All-Big Ten in 2019. He only played in two games in 2020, but in his three years with Purdue, Karlaftis ended up with 97 combined tackles, 61 solo, 29 tackles for loss, and 14 sacks, according to Sports Reference. Karlaftis also had one interception, six passes defended, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. One of his recoveries was returned for a touchdown. Evidently, he did enough to be drafted in the first round by the Chiefs.
This is Karlaftis’ second year with the Chiefs. He has missed just one regular season game. In the 16 games, Karlaftis had 47 combined tackles, 29 solo, and seven tackles for loss, according to Pro Football Reference. He also has had 17 quarterback hits and 10.5 sacks. Karlaftis also had three passes defended and one forced fumble. So far in the postseason, Karlaftis has 14 combined tackles, eight solo, and three tackles for loss. He also has four quarterback hits, 2.5 sacks, and one fumble recovery. Karlaftis will be a player to watch in the Super Bowl, especially with Charles Omenihu out with an ACL tear. The defensive end will need to pick it up while missing the other piece of the defensive line.
Jalen Graham
While Jalen Graham is on the San Francisco 49ers roster, there is a good chance Purdue fans will not get the chance to see him play. The linebacker could have a bright future with this team but has only played in four regular-season games. Graham was drafted in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft with the 255th overall pick by the 49ers.
Graham can play both safety and linebacker. His first year with Purdue was in 2019 when he made eight starts, appearing in 11 games. Graham spent four years with the Boilermakers. In those years, playing both safety and linebacker, Graham totaled 169 combined tackles, 118 solo, and 12.5 tackles for loss, according to Sports Reference. He only had two sacks, but did have three interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, and 13 passes defended. Graham also ended up with three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. In 2020 Graham returned one of the fumbles for a touchdown.
While Graham did make the depth chart, he has played in just four games for the 49ers. San Francisco has a strong linebacker core, which makes it difficult for any rookie to see playing time. In Graham’s four games, he has just one tackle, according to Pro Football Reference. He has been a healthy scratch in the postseason so far. This means he will most likely not participate in the Super Bowl. Because he is on the 53-man roster, he still deserved to have his name listed as one of the former Purdue players in the big game this weekend.
The Super Bowl will take place on Sunday, February 11th. Be sure to watch for these former Purdue players.
For a look at other former Big Ten players competing in the Super Bowl, see below:
Iowa players competing, click here.
Michigan players competing, click here.
Michigan State players competing, click here.
Nebraska players competing, click here.
Ohio State players competing, click here.
Penn State players competing, click here.
Rutgers players competing, click here.
Wisconsin players competing, click here.
