Calijah Kancey Outruns Aaron Donald With Blistering 40-Yard Dash

The Panthers’ lineman set new records during the event at the NFL Combine.

Pittsburgh defensive lineman Calijah Kancey made his mark in the 40-yard dash of the NFL’s scouting combine on Thursday, running a 4.67 official time and posting a faster time than Rams All-Pro Aaron Donald (4.68) did at the 2014 NFL combine.

Kancey was a part of the first set of players—defensive linemen and linebackers—on Thursday to begin workouts on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

In addition to breaking Donald’s mark, Kancey ran the fastest time by a defensive tackle at the NFL combine since ’06, according to ESPN Stats and Info. Kancey also ran the second fastest time in the event since ’06 for a player weighing at least 280 pounds, sitting just behind Mario Williams’s mark of 4.66.

The 6-foot-1, 281-pound lineman recorded 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks last season, becoming the Panthers’ first unanimous All-American since Donald in ’13 and ending the ’22 campaign as an Outland Trophy finalist—given to the nation’s best interior lineman on offense or defense. Kancey helped the Panthers secure a 9–4 mark in ’22 and earn a win in the postseason Sun Bowl.

Pittsburgh's Calijah Kancey ran the fastest 40-yard dash by someone 280+ lbs since 2003@Pitt_FB #NFLCombine2023 pic.twitter.com/PP8PEsfnxc

— NFL Research (@NFLPlus) March 2, 2023

In three years at Pitt, Kancey recorded 91 total tackles, 34.5 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, three pass deflections and one forced fumble.