CK #94

Calijah Kancey

Defensive Tackle · Pittsburgh

A first-round Pittsburgh interior lineman whose record-setting Combine speed made him a rare disruptor at the position.

Calijah Kancey entered the NFL as one of the most explosive defensive tackle prospects in recent memory, backing up his college dominance with a Combine 40-yard dash unmatched by any defensive tackle in two decades. Tampa Bay made him a first-round pick in 2023, and he has developed into a consistent interior pass-rush threat.

★ 2022 ACC Defensive Player of the Year at Pittsburgh

★ Ran the fastest 40-yard dash by a defensive tackle at the Combine since 2003

★ First-round pick (19th overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft

Path to the league

Kancey starred at Pittsburgh, where he won the 2022 ACC Defensive Player of the Year award after recording 31 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 11 games. At the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine he ran a 4.67-second 40-yard dash, the fastest by a defensive tackle at the event since 2003, and Tampa Bay drafted him 19th overall that spring.

Career highlights

Kancey has established himself as a disruptive interior presence for Tampa Bay, totaling 55 tackles and 11.5 sacks through his first three NFL seasons. His get-off quickness, a direct carryover from his Combine testing, has consistently created pressure up the middle of opposing offensive lines.

2025 season recap

Kancey continued to anchor Tampa Bay's interior pass rush in 2025, adding to his career sack total and remaining a key rotational piece of the Buccaneers' defensive line.