Who are some pass rushers to know for your Devy IDP leagues? Let’s check out three defensive ends from the Big 10 who are looking to come up big time for their teams and boost their draft stocks.
The 2020 Big 10 season, like many other conferences, was cut short for a lot of teams due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. In 2021, teams and players alike are eager to get back to work and back on track. The Big 10 is full of talent and has some big-time pass rushers ready to make a big impact in 2021. In this article, I’ll highlight three Devy IDP pass rushers who I’m expecting big things from this season.
In the cases of George Karlaftis and Aidan Hutchinson, we saw them have very productive 2019 seasons, but both were only able to play a couple of games in 2020. For Zach Harrison, he’s shown promise but hasn’t hit the level many think he’s capable of yet. All three players are very talented and will look to hit the ground running. Not only to help their respective teams but also to boost their own draft stock.
George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue
Best Season (2019): 54 tackles (30 solos), 17 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 2 passes defended
Originally from Athens, Greece, Karlaftis moved to Indiana in eighth grade, which is when he started playing football. He was a quick study and found himself rated as a four-star recruit by 247 Sports coming out of high school. Choosing Purdue as his new home, Karlaftis was ready to play big-time college football.
Karlaftis made a major impact right away for the Boilermakers putting up a stellar freshman season. His 17 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks both were a team-high that year. Karlaftis received Second-Team All-Big 10 honors and was named a First-Team Freshman All American by the Associated Press.
George Karlaftis is also the next great Purdue pass rusher in the NFL pic.twitter.com/TWFj1cSavD
— 𝓝𝓸𝓵𝓪𝓷❄️ (@Boilermakers4er) May 1, 2021
The 2020 season didn’t go as planned. Karlaftis was only able to play in three games due to injury and testing positive for COVID-19. Expectations were high for the talented Sophomore, but unfortunate circumstances forced him to miss significant time. He was able to notch two tackles for loss and two sacks in his limited snaps.
Heading into the 2021 season, Karlaftis is going to be ready to get back to dominating his opponents. He has the size (6’4’’ 275 pounds), athleticism, and strength to wreak havoc off the edge. Karlaftis also plays the game with a high motor that never stops. Widely rated as one of the top defensive end prospects in this year’s class, I’m expecting Karlaftis to have a big 2021 season.
In Devy IDP and Campus to Canton leagues, Karlaftis is a big-time asset as a weekly producer this year with a bright NFL future on the horizon.
Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan
Best Season (2019): 69 tackles (35 solos), 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 6 passes defended
Coming out of Dearborn, Michigan, Aidan Hutchinson was a highly touted recruit. He was rated as a four-star recruit by 247Sports and came in as their 88th overall player nationally. Highly sought after, Hutchinson decided to stay in his home state and become a Wolverine.
Hutchinson had a quiet Freshman campaign but produced in a big way as a Sophomore in 2019. That season he started all 13 games and racked up 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. Hutchinson put himself on the map that season and shared the Richard Katcher Award (given to Michigan’s top defensive lineman) with teammate Kwity Paye.
Aidan Hutchinson doesn't have elite athleticism, but this is a really good display of balance, violent hands, and motor. Especially motor. pic.twitter.com/3EWZcsg6iK
— Zach (@ImADad) Gartin (@All22_Addict) September 2, 2020
Entering the 2020 season, expectations were high for Hutchinson. Unfortunately, he suffered a fracture in his leg, which ended his season after only three games. After the unfortunate circumstances that ended his junior year, Hutchinson chose to return to Michigan for his senior year.
The 2021 season will be pivotal for Hutchinson, and I expect him to be ready for it. Hutchinson is big (6’6 269 pounds), powerful, and possesses a versatile skill set along the defensive line. While he’s not a pure speed rusher, Hutchinson has the ability to succeed playing on the edge as well as inside as a three or four tech. He’s also stout against the run wherever he’s deployed along the line.
A big 2021 season will go a long way to help Hutchinson get some round one draft buzz. Devy IDP managers can expect a steady output from Hutchinson this season with a solid tackle floor paired with those impact plays mixed in.
Zach Harrison, DE, Ohio State
Best Season (2019): 24 tackles (14 solos), 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks
Zach Harrison was a big-time high school recruit coming out of Lewis Center, Ohio. He was rated a five-star recruit by 247Sports and was also considered the top-ranked player in Ohio. With his combination of size and athleticism, the offers poured in from the college ranks. In the end, Harrison chose to stay home and play his college ball at Ohio State.
Harrison’s first two seasons at Ohio State have been relatively quiet. He’s been in the defensive line rotation but hasn’t made a big impact yet. Harrison has also had to contend with some tough competition along the Buckeye defensive line. As a freshman, there was a player by the name of Chase Young on the roster — I’m sure you’ve heard of him. Tyreke Smith is also on the roster and is a talented player in his own right. As it stands, Harrison and Smith should form a nice duo off the edge for Ohio State this year.
Ohio St DE Zach Harrison is the next disruptive freakshow off the edge for the Buckeyes. I believe he changed his number after 2019 season to #9
Only played 281 snaps in 2019 but easy to notice when he’s on the field.
6’6 265
#1 DE, #1 in Ohio
4.47 40
10.7 100m
21.5 200m pic.twitter.com/o410zYDKE9— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) August 21, 2020
This season, Ohio State will be counting on Harrison to step up, and he has the game to do it. Harrison has a great combination of size (6’6’’ 268 pounds), length, and athleticism for the defensive end position. He’s still a little raw as a pass rusher but has all the physical tools you look for. I think this could be the year the former five-star recruit puts it all together and produces like many think he can.
Now is a good time to acquire Harrison with a potential breakout campaign incoming in Devy IDP and Campus to Canton leagues.
Conclusion
With the college season approaching, it’s an exciting time for fans and especially Devy IDP managers. I’m excited to watch the three pass rushers highlighted in this article this upcoming season as I see big things in store. All three are key players for their defenses and are on many analysts’ radars for the 2022 NFL draft. Now is a good time to acquire these players if you can in your Devy IDP leagues. They all have the potential for big 2021 seasons and future potential to make an impact on Sundays.
[…] 2021, Hutchinson was quite simply the most dominant pass rusher in collegiate football and was almost impossible to block. He was an elite athlete with a combination of strength, speed, […]