George Karlaftis starring on camp circuit this spring
More: George Karlaftis commitment report | Karlaftis video | Purdue offers Yanni Karlaftis, too
NORTHBROOK, Ill. — There's really only so much George Karlaftis can do to make more of a name for himself.
The Purdue-committed defensive end from West Lafayette High School is already touted as one of the better defensive prospects in the nation. As for recruiting, he's already committed, but even if he wasn't, just about anyone who could offer him already has.
All that said, Karlaftis has taken to the camp circuit this weekend and dominated, hoping to earn invites to both Nike's The Opening this summer and Under Armour's All-America Game in the winter.
"My name's already out there," Karlaftis said Sunday, at the Under Armour All-America Camp Chicago regional at Glenbrook North High School, "but it's to prove to everybody why it's so high."
Saturday, Karlaftis appeared at The Opening regional in Ohio, ran a 4.77 — "My hamstring is tweaked right now," he said —at 260 pounds and put up elite power and strength numbers.
"I'm kind of a natural athlete, so combine testings for me might be really good," Karlaftis said. "With the one-on-one drills, I'm getting better and better with those."
Sunday, in Chicagoland, he dominated those, too, displaying the sort of quick-twitch explosiveness off the ball that in conjunction with his power and size have made him one of the most naturally talented players in his class nationally.
And one of the highest-regarded. Karlaftis is generally viewed as one of the top 20 defensive end recruits nationally and top 200 players overall in his class.
"I don't really care (about rankings)," Karlaftis said. "It's cool to be up there and it would be cool to be like the No. 1 player in the country or something like that, but when it's all said and done, no one gives a (damn). It doesn't matter."
What does matter to him right now, he says, is improvement.
This is just Karlaftis' fourth year playing football and camp-circuit coaching has brought with it different viewpoints and such, perspective he's welcoming. To that end, Karlaftis said he's been training with former Purdue and NFL linebacker — and fellow West Side product — Chike Okeafor and former Boilermaker and pro defensive tackle Matt Mitrione, now an MMA star.
Karlaftis still has a year of high school to play.
Or, rather, a season.
He's planning to graduate from West Lafayette in December, having picked up a couple of online summer classes to put himself in such a position.
"So I can be one step ahead of everyone," Karlaftis said. "I'm not the most perfect player, certainly kind of raw. Hopefully the coaches can start preparing me to be good and I can start my freshman year and do great in spring ball."
The product of a family deeply connected to Purdue, Karlaftis committed to the Boilermakers in September.
He will take other visits, with official visits to Florida and USC on the books for June, with Michigan and Clemson being likely destinations, too.
He was asked Sunday when he expects to know for certain who he'll be signing with.
"I already know," Karlaftis said, referring to Purdue. "I'm just trying to see other schools, because you never know what's going to happen."
For more from Karlaftis, see the video interview embedded above.
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