Calijah Kancey Complete NFL Draft Profile (Polarizing Prospect With High Upside, But Clear Flaws)

Pittsburgh defensive tackle Calijah Kancey is eligible for the 2023 NFL Draft following his standout season in 2022. An ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Kancey produced at an elite level throughout his career with the Panthers and could hear his name called as early as the first round in April.

Here's everything you need to know about Calijah Kancey heading into the 2023 NFL Draft.

Calijah Kancey Draft Stock & Mock Draft Projections

Mock draft sources accurate as of 4/12: Walter Football, Sporting News, Draft Tek, Pro Football Network, Mel Kiper, Todd McShay, ESPN.

Projected Draft Round: Round 1 (4), Round 2 (3)
Projected Team: Chargers (2), Saints (2), Texans (1), Bears (1), Cowboys (1)

Calijah Kancey Scouting Report

Kancey waited in the wings as a redshirted player for a year before taking on a substantial role in 2020 (27 total tackles in 10 games). The Florida native shined in 2021 with 13.0 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks, which gained him recognition as a first-team All-ACC player at the defensive tackle spot.

As if that effort wasn't enough, Kancey took things to another level by logging 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 11 games for the Panthers in 2022. He was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-American as well. The consistently improving production speaks for itself.

Highlighted strengths of Kancey's game center around his speed. He plays with intense urgency once the football is snapped and finds gaps along the offensive line to exploit almost immediately. Also keep in mind that he ran the fastest 40-yard dash by a defensive tackle in two decades (4.67 seconds).

There is some concern about Kancey's size (6-foot-1, 281 pounds), as his quick technique is a result of lining up opposite players much stronger than him. Translating his skillset to the NFL level may require help from the weight room, but Kancey has shown he can be counted on to make big plays.

Calijah Kancey NFL Draft Prediction

Kancey is far from a prototypical defensive tackle prospect as his foundation is built around rushing the passer instead of keeping rushing gaps closed. Some coaching staffs will view that as a negative thing, while others will view it as something that sets Kancey apart in a league that is always changing.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy recently pointed out how defensive line play is at a "historical high" and having an eight- or 10-man rotation is becoming the norm in today's NFL. Seeing the front office copy McCarthy's sentiment by adding Kancey to the mix would not come as a shock.

Dallas finished tied for third in the NFL in sacks last season (54.0), but only 5.0 of those sacks came from players at the DT position. Kancey would immediately upgrade a weak spot on the Cowboys' defense. Just keep an eye on whether or not he is still on the board when the No. 26 pick arrives.

Prediction: Dallas Cowboys (Round 1, 26th overall)

Check out more NFL Draft content from The Duel:

Calijah Kancey NFL Combine Results

Calijah Kancey Pittsburgh Stats

Calijah Kancey Pittsburgh Highlights

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.