The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were thrilled to land defensive lineman Calijah Kancey in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, giving them another disruptive interior defender to pair with one of the league’s best nose tackles in Vita Vea.
After a slow start to his rookie season due to a calf injury, Kancey was a dominant force throughout the rest of the 2023 campaign, making it clear the Bucs had a steal on their hands.
Speaking to the media Monday as the Bucs kicked off their 2024 offseason program, Kancey detailed the ways Vea’s presence is aiding his development at the pro level.
“I learned a lot from Vita, just being in the room with him and being on the field with him,” Kancey said. “My first day, I actually took a rep with him and he told me everything to do before we even got out of the huddle. I’m like, ‘Damn, it’s that easy?’ That just let you know what type of guy he is. He’s on top of everything – he knows the formation, he knows what to expect, he knows the person you’re going against because he’s been in the league and he’s [gone] against everybody. It was really a plus for me. Going into this year, it’s [about] really following his steps and being a sponge towards him because he does everything the right way.”
Vea and Kancey have differing skill sets that match one another perfectly, and the sky’s the limit for what they can accomplish for Tampa Bay’s defensive front in the coming years.
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