PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – He rose from a three-star recruit to ACC Defensive Player of the Year and unanimous All-American in 2022. Calijah Kancey selected by the Tampa Bay Bucs with the 19th overall selection in the NFL Draft Thursday.
Kancey is just the 15th Panther ever to be unanimous AA. He had 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks from the interior of the line. It marks the second consecutive season a Pitt player went in the first round (Kenny Pickett). The last Panthers defensive lineman to go in the first round was Aaron Donald in 2013, other first-round defensive linemen from Pitt-Sean Gilbert (1992), Burt Grossman (1989), Bob Buczkowski (1986), Chris Doleman (1985), Bill Maas (1984) and Randy Holloway (1978).
“Our entire program is bursting with pride right now for Calijah,” Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said via a statement released by the university. “This young man has absolutely earned all that comes with this night. Here’s a Miami kid who didn’t receive an in-state Power 5 offer, comes up to Pitt and ends up being a Unanimous All-American and first-round NFL Draft pick. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are getting a great player and even better person.”