Prospect analysis: Pittsburgh DT Calijah Kancey

The long-awaited Nfl draft is almost here. It’s been reported by Tony Pauline that the team “has been digging deep” and “burning the phone lines” to find out all they can about the Pittsburgh DT. So, it feels like a great time to take a dive into Kancey.

Kancey is a DT that beats opposing offensive linemen with his speed. He possesses a very high motor and is super explosive. Kancey has great footwork and is super quick off the line. The name of the game for Kancey is speed. He’s a phenomenal athlete that showed it on film and at the combine. Kancey ran a record-setting 4.67 40-yard dash time. This was the fastest time ever recorded from a DT. What may be even more important was the fact he ran a ridiculous 1.64 10-yard split.

The junior was super productive last season, tallying 31 total tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, and seven sacks. This led him to win ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

Fans may know Kancey better by the guy that was compared to Aaron Donald after the NFL combine. Both are undersized DTs, from Pitt, exceptionally fast, and even tested similarly. Kancey likely won’t be the next Donald, but he could still be a very solid player in this league.

Kancey is a great pass rusher, and that is something the Saints desperately need. The team lacks pass rushers and just lost Kaden Ellis in free agency. He could come in and be a day-one starter.

The only real downside to Kancey is his size. Some have concerns that he’ll have a hard time against some of the bigger linemen in the NFL. Overall, there’s a lot to like about Kancey, and his fit with the Saints would be phenomenal.

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