For the third year in a row, the Buccaneers used their top pick in the draft to energize their defensive front, with Kancey following the selections of edge rusher Joe Tryon-Shoyinka at number 32 in 2021 and Houston defensive lineman Logan Hall at number 33 in 2022. Kancey has blazing speed for a 281-pound pass rusher and can play all along the front, possibly even as an edge rusher in some packages. What pushed the former Pitt star over the top in the eyes of the Buccaneers’ brass was his demeanor in pre-draft meetings.
“One thing we’d loved about him is the extreme mature nature about him,” said General Manager Jason Licht. “He’s a leader, he’s very smart. [It] was like talking to a grown 40-year-old man. He’s really got a great head on his shoulders. So I think that kind of separates a lot of these guys and he’s got a chip on his shoulder, he wants to win and he’s an ultimate competitor. So that’s going to give him a chance. I don’t want to say that we’re expecting him to have 15 sacks or anything next year, but I know he’s going to contribute and I know he’s going to help us.”
Speaking of personalities, the Buccaneers think they landed one in the second round in North Dakota State offensive lineman Cody Mauch, who played tackle for the Bison but is expected to start out at guard in Tampa and possibly move to center at some point down the line. Mauch is a great blocker on the move and the type of tone-setter the Buccaneers love on their offensive line, in the vein of Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen.
“I love it – absolutely love it,” said Licht. “Jensen has been texting ever since we took him, [saying] ‘He and I are going to mess some things up.’ He didn’t use the word mess. If you could somehow clone Jensen and [tight end] Ko Kieft together, you get Cody Mauch. It’s great. Who doesn’t like that? I talked about it the other day with offensive line – the guys that you have fun watching, it just so happens that we were watching him together for the 18th time. He was one that we have a lot of fun watching.
“His extracurricular activity when the whistle is still echoing, his pure passion for the game, his athleticism is really, really underrated – he’s a great athlete. Really quick, Really flexible, great bend. You see when he’s going for a little shot at the end how quickly he gets up. He’s a great athlete. He’s a great puller, he’s great in space.”
In the third round, the Bucs tapped into a deep pool of intriguing edge rushers in this year’s draft class,…
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