Buccaneers' Calijah Kancey makes comment that will terrify the rest of the NFL
Calijah Kancey, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, is already scary enough when it comes to his athletic ability and the things he can do on the football field. His fast, violent play is a big reason why he was able to put up the numbers that earned him the […]
Calijah Kancey, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, is already scary enough when it comes to his athletic ability and the things he can do on the football field.
His fast, violent play is a big reason why he was able to put up the numbers that earned him the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year award last year and it's what allowed him to amass more tackles for loss (34.5) than starts (33) over the course of his three-year career at Pittsburgh.
Kancey has the potential to thrive in Tampa Bay's defense, especially since he's going to be lining up next to Pro Bowl DT Vita Vea. Those two combined present a uniquely arduous matchup for opposing offensive linemen and it should really help ignite what has been a lackluster four-man pass rush over the last couple of seasons.
It's not all about Kancey's athletic traits, though. He's an extremely smart and intelligent player, who's very eager to learn.
He also has a goal that is going to terrify the 31 other NFL offenses when they hear what it is.
"Something I hope to do when I get to the next level is I want to learn the playbook and I want to be able to play faster than [I do]," Kancey told reporters Thursday night after he was drafted by the Buccaneers. "I think knowing the playbook and knowing what you have to do helps you play faster – that’s something I’m going to put a lot of work into.”
Just to be clear: Kancey's 10-yard split, which measures initial burst, sits in the 95th percentile of players at his position and his 4.67 40-yard dash is in the 99th percentile. His vertical, broad jump, 20-yard split, three-cone, and short shuttle measurements all sit in elite territory, as well.
The thought of Kancey playing faster than what he's shown on tape and in workouts is not something opposing offensive coordinators want to deal with. If he's able to achieve his goal, then Kancey will prove he's worth the pick, immediately. And it's easy to see that happening when considering the supporting cast of defenders that complement him.
And it's even easier to see all this play out when listening to Kancey's former defensive line coach, Chris Partridge, talk about his work ethic.
“I’ve been very fortunate, with having the opportunity to coach J.J. Watt at Wisconsin, etc," Partridge said via Pewter Report. "He’s in a very, very high small percentile of guys in terms of how hard he works, and how hard he runs to the ball – that’s where I saw a lot of growth. He wasn’t lazy when he came in. He just learned how to work like a first-round draft pick.
"… I think he’s going to be a demon 3-technique,” Partridge said. “That fact that he can play outside on the edge and has the quickness to do that. He’s got the power and strength to be a nose when you need him. It’s going to be a combination of all but if you made me give you an answer as far as one thing, he’s going to be a scary thought at 3-technique – scary."
Get ready, NFL. There's something dangerous brewing in Tampa Bay. And it's not going to take any prisoners when it comes to getting after quarterbacks and making their lives hell.
