Five Pitt Players Selected in Seven-Round Mock Draft

The Pitt Panthers have five players selected in a new mock draft.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers will be well-represented in the NFL Draft if the seven-round mock draft released by The Athletic's draft analyst Dane Brugler released this week is accurate. He has five Pitt players being selected in this year's draft.  

Calijah Kancey was, unsurprisingly, the first Panthers prospect off the board. Brugler has the Detroit Lions selecting Kancey 18th overall, establishing him as one of the cornerstones of Detroit's defense in the near future, alongside Aidan Hutchinson and fellow projected 2023 first-rounder, Christian Gonzalez. That would make him the second defensive tackle taken, behind Georgia's Jalen Carter, who was selected at No. 9 by the Bears. 

"The Lions would love to come away from the draft’s first night with two impact defensive prospects," Brugler wrote. "They do so in this scenario: Gonzalez and Kancey. The Pitt defensive tackle is undersized, but disruptive defensive linemen come in all shapes and sizes."

The second round passes without any Panthers coming off the board, but in the third round, two are selected within two picks of one another. Running back Israel Abanikanda is next up at pick No. 94, where the Philadelphia Eagles make him the ninth player at his position drafted. Two picks later, offensive tackle Carter Warren is picked up by the Washington Commanders. 

Linebacker SirVocea Dennis, who impressed with his testing numbers at Pro Day and made waves as one of the smarter players available in this draft during team meetings at the NFL Combine, goes to the LA Rams at pick No. 189 in the sixth round. Then safety Brandon Hill becomes the third Pitt defensive back to join the Buffalo Bills at pick 205. 

"With Damar Hamlin and Dane Jackson, the Bills have created a little bit of a Pittsburgh-to-Buffalo pipeline for defensive backs," Brugler wrote. "They could continue it with the speedy and versatile Hill."

Kancey going in the first round would make for back-to-back years with a first round pick for Pitt for the first first time since 2007-08. Five or more Panthers have been selected in the NFL Draft just four times since 2000 and 28 times in the 86-year history of the event. 

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