Report: Saints Doing 'Extra Homework' on Pitt Defensive Tackle

Are the Saints tipping their hand about their first-round draft target? Perhaps so, according to a report.

Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network wrote on Sunday that the New Orleans Saints are doing ''extra homework'' on University of Pittsburgh DT Calijah Kancey. One of the top interior defenders in this draft, Kancey is expected to come off the board anywhere from the midway point to the end of the first round.
Pauline writes:

I’ve never been as high on Kancey as most, and I don’t think he’s a great first-round projection. The size (6’1”, 281 pounds), lack of growth potential, and short arms (just over 30.5 inches) worry me. Despite my opinion, everything I’ve been told in recent days points to Kancey being a lock as a first-round pick.

Who would select him in the first round? If I was a betting man, I’d go with the New Orleans Saints. The franchise has been digging deep into Kancey and burning the phone lines talking with his coaches at Pittsburgh recently to get as much detail as possible on the defensive tackle.

Tennessee Volunteers offensive lineman Darnell Wright (58) squares off Pitt Panthers defensive lineman Calijah Kancey (8). Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

It could also be noteworthy that New Orleans did not include Kancey among their pre-draft visits. 

This was my report on Kancey, published with the Saints News Network on March 27.

A redshirt junior from Miami, Fl., Kancey showed massive improvement each season with the Panthers. He finished his three-year collegiate career with 16 sacks and 34.5 tackles for loss.

After 3rd Team All-American and 1st Team All-ACC honors in 2021, Kancey took his production to the next level. His 2022 campaign of 7.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss not only earned him 1st Team All-ACC and All-American accolades, but won him the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. He was also a finalist for the Outland and Nagurski Trophies.

Kancey is undersized and isn't a space-eater inside, but is a one-gap penetrator that's an explosive nightmare. He's has also drawn comparisons to another former Pitt alum, Rams DT Aaron Donald, the 13th overall choice in the 2014 NFL Draft. Donald, one of the NFL's top defenders, has 103 sacks and 237 QB hits over his nine-year career.

Kancey's size could be a detriment, especially when taking on larger blockers against the run. Donald is a powerhouse defender, while Kancey has deceptive power and relies even more on his quickness. If blockers can counter his initial moves, they may be able to overwhelm him in the trenches.

Kancey has rare explosion for an interior defender. He combines that with incredible change-of-direction that allows him to burst through off-balance blockers. Once in the open, he has a ferocious close on the ball with radar-like tenacity. 

Possessing a relentless motor, Kancey plays with good leverage that also give him an advantage against bigger blockers. He also disengages smoothly and has tremendous lateral pursuit to block running lanes.

Hendon Hooker (5) of the Tennessee Volunteers gets sacked by Calijah Kancey (8) of the Pitt Panthers. Michael Longo/For USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Calijah Kancey will not be looked to as the savior to a struggling run defense. He'll have to develop that part of his game and prove he can handle big-bodied NFL linemen, perhaps even as a rotational pass rusher to start his career. 

Kancey's explosive traits as a pass rusher should instantly upgrade an entire defensive front. His penetrating style would also be effective against the run in a 4-man front if surrounded by bigger defenders. Kancey's rare skillset as an interior defender can make opposing quarterbacks miserable and force them into critical mistakes. 

New Orleans owns the 29th selection in the first round of the NFL Draft, which kicks off this Thursday evening.