National Football League

Buccaneers first-round pick Calijah Kancey driven by underdog motivation

Updated Apr. 28, 2023 1:02 a.m. ET

At 6-foot-1, 281 pounds, Calijah Kancey is the same height and one pound heavier than another undersized interior pass-rusher who played at Pittsburgh, put up off-the-chart measurables before the draft and has turned out pretty well in the NFL.

But Kancey doesn't want to be compared to Aaron Donald, flattering as that might be.

"That's a great comparison," Kancey said moments after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected him with the 19th pick in Thursday's first round. "But honestly, I'm Calijah Kancey at the end of the day. It's great to be compared to a guy like that, of that caliber, but at the end of the day, I'm Calijah Kancey and that's who I want to make a name for."

Bucs general manager Jason Licht said the combination of size and athleticism is familiar, but joked that the closer parallel isn't to the future Hall of Famer, but to a 6-1, 290-pound defensive tackle who had only seven Pro Bowl selections.

"We do think he has strength, and he does have power, and he does have the ability to hold up in there," Licht said. "You know, they were saying the same things ... I'm not comparing to Aaron Donald. That's not fair. I would say it's more like John Randle."

Kancey piled up 14.5 sacks over the last two seasons at Pittsburgh, and really turned heads at the NFL combine. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.67 seconds, the fastest time for any defensive lineman in 20 years, and 0.01 seconds faster than Donald.

The Bucs used their top draft pick on a defensive lineman for the second year in a row, after taking Houston's Logan Hall at No. 33 last season. Tampa Bay had five free agents from its 2022 defensive line group, opting not to re-sign starters Akiem Hicks and Will Gholston and allowing backup Rakeem Nunez-Roches to sign with the Giants. They added free agent Greg Gaines from the Rams, but will be leaning hard on two young prospects in Kancey and Hall.

The newest Buccaneer went to the same high school -- Miami Northwestern -- as the longest tenured Bucs player, linebacker Lavonte David, and Licht said they have the same kind of maturity when you talk to them.

"One thing we loved about him is he [has an] extreme mature nature about him," Licht said. "He's a leader. He's very smart. It's like talking to a 40-year-old man. He's really got a great head on his shoulders ... he's got a chip on his shoulder. He wants to win and he's the ultimate competitor. That's going to give him a chance. I don't want to put out, say, that we're expecting him to have 15 sacks or anything next year, but I know he's going to contribute."

Kancey watched the draft from his family's home in Miami, confident of being a first-round pick but not necessarily expecting it to be the Bucs. Back at Pitt, teammates watched together and cheered when Kancey's name was called.

"Our entire program is bursting with pride right now for Calijah," coach Pat Narduzzi said in a tweet posted by the school. "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."

The recognition of being a first-round pick and the Bucs' excitement to add him to their defense won't take away from an underdog motivation that has driven Kancey his entire life, and will continue to in the NFL.

"I want to say being overlooked my whole life," he said when asked about his drive. "Not many people believing in me, not passing the eyeball test for many guys. Also, just proving myself right and not trying to prove anyone wrong."

Greg Auman is FOX Sports’ NFC South reporter, covering the Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers and Saints. He is in his 10th season covering the Bucs and the NFL full-time, having spent time at the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregauman.

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