Trent McDuffie vs. George Karlaftis: Who Has the Higher Ceiling for Chiefs Defense?
![Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Zay Jones (7) catches a pass but can’t get his second foot inbounds as Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) pressures during the second quarter of a NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 17-9. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F1bc2bcae7ed61b0c7e7593eb2375ba6b6458875922aa6df8781b93ec399d9997.jpg "Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Zay Jones (7) catches a pass but can’t get his second foot inbounds as Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) pressures during the second quarter of a NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 17-9. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]")
The Verdict
What a great problem to have! Two players selected in the same round of the same draft that quickly look like they’re among the very best at their position.
Hats off to Veach and his staff, who have done a tremendous job in the draft these last few years. McDuffie and Karlaftis may represent the crown jewels of Veach’s strong drafting, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the organization keep both players.
The single most important development for the #Chiefs that's at least somewhat overlooked or underappreciated is the maturation of George Karlaftis and Trent McDuffie into bona fide defensive pillars. They will anchor this defense for a half-decade together or more.
— Matt Conner (@MattConnerAA) September 25, 2023
If Chris Jones walks and the Chiefs move on from guys like Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Justin Reid, we’ll have a lot more money to work with. That could allow Veach to offer both McDuffie and Karlaftis an extension and that’s how I hope things play out.
Having two young, elite players at premium positions opens up so much for the rest of the roster. It wouldn’t surprise me to see both players make the Pro Bowl, and McDuffie at the least has a good shot at an All-Pro spot at this rate.
With the weak offenses the Chiefs will face over the next five weeks, this is a perfect time for the dynamic duo to continue building their respective resumes.
For now, Chiefs fans can rejoice that Veach seems to have found two foundational defensive stars that I hope will stay together long-term.
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