NEWSLETTER
The comparisons between Pittsburgh defensive tackle Calijah Kancey and Aaron Donald had already started before today. But they’re definitely not going anywhere now. Kancey just ran an official 4.67-second 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, breaking Aaron Donald’s mark of 4.68 from 2014.
Not only did Calijah Kancey’s time best Donald’s, but it’s also the fastest time for a defensive tackle at the event since 2003, per Next Gen Stats.
The parallels between the two players are unavoidable. Both attended Pitt. Both are undersized defensive tackles. Both produced higher-than-typical sack totals for interior rushers. And both are athletic marvels for their position.
To be clear, Kancey is not the elite prospect that Aaron Donald was in 2014, but the parallels exist. Kancey also excelled in the positional drills. His 4.67 official 40-yard dash time was the best among interior defensive linemen. His 10-yard split of 1.64 was also the best among interior defensive linemen.
Daniel Jeremiah rated Calijah Kancey as his No. 30 overall prospect entering the combine. However, his combine performance may have him on the move up some first-round draft boards.
Kancey racked up seven sacks for the Pittsburgh Panthers in 2022. Kancey also added 31 tackles last season.
