Inside The Panthers

Buccaneers Draft Pitt DT Calijah Kancey in First Round

Pitt Panthers have been drafted in consecutive first round for the first time since 2008-09.

Stephen Thompson

Buccaneers Draft Pitt DT Calijah Kancey in First Round
Buccaneers Draft Pitt DT Calijah Kancey in First Round /
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers have now sent players to the first round of the NFL Draft in consecutive years for the first time since 2009 after Calijah Kancey was selected with the 19th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Kancey follows former Panthers quarterback and his former teammate Kenny Pickett, who was taken 20th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in last year's draft.

Kancey was the fourth defensive lineman taken this year and the fifth defensive player selected overall. He will be awarded a four-year contract worth $14,493,475 and a $7,540,709 signing bonus. 

Before he shattered all-time records with his speed and quickness at the NFL Combine and Pitt's Pro Day, Kancey was a unanimous All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year this past season after recording 31 tackles, 14.5 for a loss and 7.5 sacks in 11 games this year.

He suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out of the regular season finale and sidelined him for the Sun Bowl against No. 18 UCLA, but Kancey still led the country's interior defensive linemen in tackles for loss.

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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