Calijah Kancey

Pitt IDL

Games Watched: West Virginia, Tennessee, UNC

Summary: Calijah Kancey is undersized for a typical defensive tackle, but he should be able to play as either a 4-3 DT or 3-4 DE. He is very good against the pass because of the quickness and agility he possesses. He’s technically sound with his hands, and has a variety of moves he can use. Despite his size, he is often able to win the leverage battle and drive linemen backward, although once linemen get their hands into his chest he doesn’t have the anchor to hold up. Kancey often keeps his head down to drive linemen, but this results in him failing to locate the ball, and his small tackling radius does him no favors.

Pros

  • Elite initial burst
  • Agility and elusiveness allow him to slip blocks
  • Plays with good pad leverage allowing him to drive guys much bigger than him backward
  • Quick and active hands are used with great placement and timing allowing him to penetrate the backfield
  • Has an effective spin move in his arsenal

Cons

  • Does not have the base to hold up once linemen get their hands into his body
  • Hindered by having such a small tackling radius
  • Can sometimes fail to locate the ball against the run

Grade: Calijah Kancey gets a late 1st round grade. He’s a risky pick because of the size profile, but the pass rushing upside is worth a shot in the first round.