The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and general manager Jason Licht have drafted well over the past few seasons, and it's resulted in the team winning a record-tying four straight NFC South titles and making five consecutive postseason appearances in a row.
One of those draft picks, 2023 first-round defensive tackle Calijah Kancey, has been a bright spot on the defensive line with one glaring exception, as Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman explains.
"Similar to fellow 2023 first-rounder Mazi Smith, Kancey hasn’t lived up to his billing for Tampa Bay through two seasons in the NFL," wrote Wasserman. "To his credit, the undersized Kancey has racked up 85 pressures since the start of 2023, a top-20 mark among defensive tackles. However, that’s not enough to offset his dreadful 28.7 PFF run-defense grade in that span."
Kancey has appeared in 26 games the past two seasons, all starts, and posted 54 total tackles with 41 solo and 21 for loss. He's added 29 QB hits, forced one fumble, and recovered another.
Those who have watched Kancey over the past two seasons have seen him be an important part of the front part of the defense.
But coming out of college, the knock against him was his size and run-stopping ability and size. NFL analyst Lance Zierlein compared Kancey to former Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks defender John Randle, and noted his lack of run-stopping prowess.
"Undersized, one-gapping defensive tackle who is explosive and productive. He’s a strong and determined player, but Kancey is still going to be a hit-or-miss run defender due to his lack of mass and length," Zierlein wrote. "His leverage and motor are often too much for guards to handle alone. Kancey might be most effective as a rotational run defender and full-time, sub-package rusher, but his size will not define him in the NFL."
While Kancey might not be the best rushing defender on the team, his value is certainly seen across the board for the Buccaneers.