NFL world buzzing after top draft prospect makes history

Just because Calijah Kancey is an undersized defensive tackle out of Pittsburgh with first-round aspirations, that doesn’t make him Aaron Donald.

What does make him like Aaron Donald, though, is the fact that he now owns the record for the fastest 40-yard dash time ever by a defensive tackle.

According to NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Kancey ran an official 4.67-second 40-yeard dash, which is the fastest time recorded by a defensive tackle at the NFL Scouting Combine since 2003.

The NFL world was buzzing on social media after Kancey put on a show in Indianapolis on Thursday.

Calijah Kancey ran an official 4.67 40-yard dash; fastest by a DT since ‘03. I just spoke w/ @Pitt_FB Co-DC & DL @CoachPartridge who said:

“None of us were surprised by Calijah’s speed. That combined with his athleticism will translate at the next level.” pic.twitter.com/FkCl29fLDe

— Dave Sulfaro (@DaveSulfaro) March 2, 2023

“Calijah Kancey out here running 4.73 in the 40 yard dash as a 281 POUND DEFENSIVE TACKLE and [y’all] wonder why your QB has to be able to move in today’s game,” said former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III.

“Calijah Kancey had a 1.64 10-yard split at 281 pounds! That’s a 95th percentile split for an interior defensive lineman over the last two decades,” wrote Brett Kollmann.

“On the overlay, Calijah Kancey is neck and neck with Aaron Donald through at least the first 20 yards of the 40,” said Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus. “Elite get off.”

“We’ve heard for years out of the South Side how much of a freak Calijah Kancey was. How about a 4.67 40 yard dash? It’s the best 40 time from an IDL this century, tied with only Milton Williams. Oh, and third is another Pitt DT by the name of Aaron Donald at 4.68,” said Nick Farabaugh.

[NFL Next Gen Stats]

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.