The Cincinnati Bengals could go a number of ways in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft.
Defensive line, though, seems unlikely. After all, the Bengals haven’t drafted a defensive lineman in the opening round of a draft since Justin Smith in the early 2000s.
Is Calijah Kancey the one to change that? Kancey is one of the toughest draft prospects in the class to project because he’s “small” with “short arms,” yet has some Geno Atkins-styled hype for the way he can rush the passer from the interior.
He’s the No. 1 player on our Bengals big board for a reason.
Here’s a quick profile of Kancey.
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Background
Kancey was a redshirt at Pittsburgh before starting in four games his second year. He had 13 tackles for loss and seven sacks the following season, then first-team AP All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year with 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 11 starts.
Numbers to know
Measurables: 6’1″, 280 pounds
Testing: 4.67 40-yard dash, 98 athleticism score
Stats (three seasons): 19 sacks, 28 quarterback hits, 64 quarterback hurries, 63 tackles, 63 stops
2023 PFF grade: 91.8
Expert’s take
Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar ranks Kancey as the draft’s 11th overall prospect:
Conclusion: Kancey is more than just a fun story because he was amazed at the combine, or because he has so many splash plays for his size. He is a legitimate disruptor everywhere from edge to nose shade, although his ideal spot in the NFL would be as a three-tech tackle who can just frustrate blockers all day with his enviable combination of strength and quickness. Put him there, let him do his Tasmanian Devil thing every week, and prepare to reap the rewards.
Our take
The Bengals need to sprint to the podium if Kancey is available late in the first. He’s a super-disruptor with proven production. “Small” or not, he’d be fantastic in a rotation with BJ Hill next to DJ Reader. Like Geno Atkins, he’s got the potential to be the centerpiece a team builds an entire defense around.
Story originally appeared on Bengals Wire