Pitt DT Calijah Kancey Set for Success with Buccaneers
PITTSBURGH -- There was a time during the NFL Draft process when Pitt Panthers defensive tackle Calijah Kancey was earning top-10 buzz. He didn't quite reach that high when draft day rolled around, but Kancey is nonetheless going to make a lot of money and head to a team that clearly has a long-term plan for him.
Kancey is still a first-round pick - Pitts' second in as many years. He will join a Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization that, in its post-Tom Brady days, is in a fantastic position to help him develop slowly while still not saddling him with the pressure of being a Day 1 Starter.
For all his incredible attributes, Kancey is still somewhat of a project. He did all he could to alleviate the concerns about his height, weight and arm length, but whether he's 6'1 or 6'0, 275 or 280 pounds, Kancey is far from a finished product but that's okay, given where he's headed. Those concerns are real but Kancey will get a chance to show he's capable of being a valuable contributor to an NFL defense.
Kancey will, first and foremost, be surrounded by a staff of coaches and veterans well-equipped to bring him along at his own pace. 27-year-old Vita Vea will be a steady presence in Kancey's everyday routine with the team, meaning he will have plenty of chances to learn from the former Pro Bowler and Super Bowl Champion. He will also be led by a defensive-minded head coach in Todd Bowles that is tasked with rethinking his team's identity after the high-powered offense of yesteryear passes it's expiration date.
The Buccaneers are also a good football, not just timing, fit for Kancey. He has his flaws, yes but if nothing else, Kancey can win one-on-one matchups and pressure the quarterback. That's something the Bucs - who blitzed at the 10th-highest rate in the NFL, but created the 15th-lowest pressure rate - could use.
He will get to be a pass-rush specialist on certain downs amid a defense laced with veterans that will cover for whatever deficiencies exist in his game. Kancey doesn't have to be great at everything right away but will earn valuable snaps because he is a defensive weapon.
The stars have aligned for Kancey. While he wasn't drafted as high as he might have liked and won't have the chance to be an every-down defender right away, Kancey was fortunate to avoid a situation like Detroit or Seattle, where he had been mocked to frequently and where he would need to be an instant impact player for teams on the rise.
In Tampa, Kancey can grow more slowly and do it without the weight of massive expectations that come with being a top-10 pick.
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