Buccaneers Draft Pitt DT Calijah Kancey in First Round
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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