Dan Quinn would salivate over PFF's first-round pick for Cowboys
One of the areas the Dallas Cowboys need to hit in the upcoming NFL draft is the interior of their defensive line. The primary need despite the re-signing of Johnathan Hankins is at the 1-tech. However, in a recent mock draft by Pro Football Focus, the Cowboys took 3-tech defensive tackle Calijah Kancey out of […]
One of the areas the Dallas Cowboys need to hit in the upcoming NFL draft is the interior of their defensive line.
The primary need despite the re-signing of Johnathan Hankins is at the 1-tech. However, in a recent mock draft by Pro Football Focus, the Cowboys took 3-tech defensive tackle Calijah Kancey out of Pittsburgh.
The Cowboys have invested a lot into their edge room but are still lacking in the pass-rushing department from the interior. Kancey is widely considered the second-best pass-rushing defensive tackle in the draft behind Jalen Carter and would give Dallas an interior threat. Given that Dan Quinn stunts more than any defensive coordinator in the NFL, having an athletic defensive tackle like Kancey would create havoc for opposing offensive lines.
During his time at Pittsburgh, Kancey was a highly productive player. He was a menace in the backfield with 34.5 tackles for loss (91 total tackles) and 16 sacks (career-high 7.5 in 2022). Kancey had a pass-rush grade of 92.4 which was the highest for all interior defensive linemen last season per PFF (91.8 overall defensive grade) and amassed an amazing 47 pressures.
The former three-star recruit was a two-time first-team All-ACC selection and was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a Unanimous All-American in 2022.
Kancey is undersized for a defensive tackle at 281 pounds, and that will hinder him some on the NFL level, but don't let that fool you. He's explosive out of his stance with a quick first step and sheds blockers with ease due to his underrated power and variety of moves to get to the quarterback.
Kancey can be used in various spots on the defensive line. Per PFF, he logged 311 snaps in the A-gap and 1,040 in the B-gap during his three years at Pittsburgh. Also, he can rush from the edge if need be which is a big plus.
Athleticism is something Kancey possesses as well. His 4.67 in the 40-yard dash was the fastest for an interior defensive lineman since 2003. His vertical came in at 33.5 inches and he posted a 9'4" in the broad jump.
Cowboys' defensive coordinator Dan Quinn loves to show multiple looks up front and runs a ton of stunts. Kancey would be an ideal fit for his philosophy.
