The Buccaneers made Calijah Kancey their first-round pick at No. 19 overall in the NFL Draft Thursday night, giving the Pitt program first-round choices in consecutive NFL Drafts for the first time since 2007 and 2008, when Darrelle Revis and Jeff Otah, respectively, were chosen.
This, of course, comes a year after the Steelers made Kenny Pickett their guy with the 20th overall selection in the 2022 draft.
Kancey was widely mocked in the first round of this draft, though speculation about where he would land came about because of his size and perceived ability to play in a 4-3 defense versus a 3-4. As it turns out, he will be tested in Todd Bowles' trademark 3-4 defense in Tampa Bay.
With the 19th pick in the 2023 #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/EqPt9BewzS
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) April 28, 2023
Pitt’s Sunshine State Star ☀️@CKancey8 ➡️ @Buccaneers
— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) April 28, 2023
Calijah Kancey // Round 1 // Pick 19#H2P » @NFLDraft » @NFL pic.twitter.com/ZDxGbMtJo3
"One thing we loved about him is his extreme, mature nature about him," Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said after the selection. "He's a leader, he's very smart. It's like talking to a grown, 40-year-old man. He's really got a great head on his shoulders. I think that kind of separates a lot of these guys, and he's got a chip on his shoulder, and he wants to win, and he's the ultimate competitor. That's going to give him a chance. I don't want to put out, saying we're expecting him to have 15 sacks next year, but I know he's going to contribute, and I know he's going to help us."
Watch Kancey's first professional press conference with Tampa Bay reporters here:
Kancey had a career-defining 2022 season after which he was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American selection, the first for Pitt since Aaron Donald in 2013. He is Pitt's first ACC Defensive Player of the Year since ... you guessed it ... Donald in 2013. He tallied 31 total tackles, 14.5 for loss, and 7.5 sacks as he missed the final two games of 2022 with a shoulder injury. He led all Football Bowl Subdivision interior defensive lineman in tackles for loss, despite the time missed because of injury.
"Our entire program is bursting with pride right now for Calijah," Pat Narduzzi said in a statement. "This young man has absolutely earned all that comes with this night. Here’s a Miami kid who didn’t receive an in-state Power 5 offer, comes up to Pitt and ends up being a Unanimous All-American and first-round NFL Draft pick. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are getting a great player and even better person.”
He stole headlines at the NFL Combine with his record 40-yard dash time of 4.67 seconds, which turned the flicker of debate of Kancey versus Donald into a cooler-talk headline. That time edged Donald's 4.68 seconds in the 2014 Combine as the fastest 40-yard dash time by a defensive tackle at the Combine dating to 2000.
Kancey measured at 6-foot-1, 283 pounds, jumped a 33.5-inch vertical and a 9-foot-4 broad jump, and ran a 6.82-second three-cone and a 4.33-second 20-yard shuttle at the Pitt pro day. His weight was two pounds heavier than what he measured at the Combine.
Adding into the Pitt first-round brigade is former Panthers wide receiver Jordan Addison, who was selected by Minnesota 23rd overall to become Justin Jefferson's right-hand man after spending one season at USC.
With Pitt in 2021, Addison became the third receiver in Pitt history to win the Biletnikoff Award, joining Antonio Bryant in 2000 and Larry Fitzgerald in 2003. He was named a first-team All-American after racking up 100 catches for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns in that 2021 season. His reception total was sixth in the nation, his receiving yardage fourth and his touchdown total tied for first.
Jordan Pick 2️⃣3️⃣@Espn_Jordan pic.twitter.com/70CAGCZZ5k
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) April 28, 2023
