Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Calijah Kancey (calf) is expected to miss four weeks with a strained calf, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. He was selected 19th overall in the NFL draft this past April. The rookie still has a chance to be ready for the Buccaneers' season opener against the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 10.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie defensive tackle Calijah Kancey was carted off the practice field with a right leg injury on Sunday. Head coach Todd Bowles said after practice that Kancey has a calf strain and will undergo an MRI to determine the severity. Kancey was the 19th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft after a spectacular final two seasons at the University of Pittsburgh. The 22-year-old totaled 64 tackles and 14 sacks in his sophomore and junior campaigns and is expected to be an interior disruptor at the next level. Hopefully, his injury is minor and he won't miss extended time.
Calijah Kancey Should Be Nice Complement To Vita Vea
Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie defensive tackle Calijah Kancey's quickness off the ball was apparent in offseason drills and should serve as a nice complement to the big-bodied Vita Vea on the interior of the team's defensive line in 2023. "He's smart. He's a lot smarter," head coach Todd Bowles said. "He's not just a lineman trying to line up and do things, he's trying to understand everything on the defensive line and the offensive line, so he knows how to play. I'm very impressed with that." The 22-year-old was the 19th overall pick in this year's NFL draft after recording 34.5 tackles for loss and 16 sacks in his collegiate career at Pittsburgh. He has drawn comparisons to Los Angeles Rams All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald.
Calijah Kancey Goes To Buccaneers At No. 19 Overall
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected University of Pittsburgh defensive tackle Calijah Kancey with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft on Thursday night. Some folks thought that the Buccaneers would go with University of Kentucky quarterback Will Levis with this pick now that Tom Brady is retired, but they chose to beef up their defensive line instead with Kancey. The 22-year-old pass-rusher stands at 6-foot-1, 281 pounds, which is small for the position. He's often compared to former Pitt star Aaron Donald, but Kancey will have to do a lot to live up to those comparisons. He makes up for his lack of size in the trenches with elite athleticism, and he's quick enough to beat offensive linemen off the ball. Kancey will pair nicely with Vita Vea on Tampa's D line.
University of Pittsburgh defensive tackle Calijah Kancey has been talked about as a fringe first-round pick in this year's NFL draft, but ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay feels strongly that he'll end up being a top-20 pick based on conversations with a bunch of people. Kancey is an explosive disruptor on the interior and impressed at the scouting combine with a 4.67-second 40-yard dash at 281 pounds. After Kancey and Georgia's Jalen Carter, there is a serious drop-off in talent at the position this year. Wisconsin's Keeanu Benton and Clemson's Bryan Bresee have upside as pass-rushers, but they haven't shown much sack production. Kancey totaled 14 sacks in his final two collegiate seasons.
