NextGen Stats: Calijah Kancey Pulled Off The Unthinkable
February 13th, 2025
Incredible production.
OK, so when Joe first began reading the following excerpt from NextGen Stats by way of NFL.com, it didn’t appear all that great for the Bucs. The more Joe read, the better Joe felt.
The Bucs were just an OK tackling team last regular season, per NextGen Stats. The NFL’s official stats outfit uses GPS modules or computer chips in football and players’ equipment to come up with their data.
It’s a much, much more accurate way of data collection than dudes in Irish dorm rooms guessing by watching broadcast tape to hatch some sort of ill-suited “grade.”
So recently, NextGen Stats teamed up with Amazon to concoct an AI device to study tackling. It looks at if a player is in position to make a tackle and if a defender is able to follow through with a tackle.
(Clearly, this method does not determine wrapping up, which for Joe is a critical fundamental.)
Overall, the Bucs were just meh in tackling last season, finishing 17th. However, after the Bucs’ bye week, the tackling significantly improved. In the weeks after the bye, the Bucs were No. 3 in tackling.
It’s not a difficult puzzle to figure out who was the Bucs’ best tackler. That would be Lavonte David. However, another player really overshadowed David. Bucs defensive tackle Calijah Kancey did not miss one tackle last year, per NextGen Stats.
Sure, Kancey only played in a dozen games as he hurt his calf in training camp. Again. But when Kancey was on the field he got the job done.
Per NextGen Stats, Kancey was the only player in the NFL last year who did not have a missed tackle.
Joe’s a big Kancey guy. Joe thinks he’s one of the best pass rushing defensive tackles. And now we have evidence Kancey is also a superior defender against the run.
What a steal this guy was for a 19th overall pick by Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht.
Gee, 19th overall? Sounds familiar. Isn’t that where the Bucs pick this year? Why yes, yes they do.
February 13th, 2025 at 12:14 am
That’s pretty wild. Kancey looking promising!
Go Bucs!!
February 13th, 2025 at 12:15 am
In Licht we trust. Really hoping the Bucs find edge help for Kancey and Vea in free agency next month. Then the GM can keep his draft picks and find the next young stud with pick 19. Edge and hawks. Need both.
February 13th, 2025 at 12:20 am
If only he could’ve got through Daniel’s’ stiff arm.
February 13th, 2025 at 1:34 am
We need a young JPP!
February 13th, 2025 at 2:33 am
Bravo to Kancy but I am still an eyeball guy.
All of these NG stats have some degree of error and or lack of detail.
Go Bucs!
February 13th, 2025 at 2:36 am
BTW that still leaves our piss poor tackling in the secondary. Mystifies me that we can’t teach these NFL players to tackle.
Go Bucs!
February 13th, 2025 at 2:44 am
1st round?
Only for the trenches or a CB. Period!
Trade back if you can. Twice if you can. Get as many 2nd round and 3rd round picks as possible.
I will always believe 6 picks in rounds 2 and 3 are better than 1 pick per round from rounds 1-7.
The 2nd round is the money round. Cheaper contracts and tons of talent.
One of the best LG’s in the draft will be there 2nd. Teams are dumb. They don’t draft many guards in the 1st. So elite options will be there in the 2nd.
Wirfs deserves an elite LG next to him. Not another journeyman.
The 2nd round also normally has an elite ILB and Safety. Because most teams will never draft an ILB in the 1st. So you can grab an elite ILB in the 2nd.
Most teams won’t draft safeties in the 1st. So you can grab an elite safety in round 2.
Trade back twice if possible. Pick up at least 1 extra 2nd and 1 extra 3rd. Hopefully 2.
Then package a 4th and a 7th to move back into the 3rd.
Trade your 5th and 6th and move back into the 4th.
Get 6 picks in the first 4 rounds. Forget rounds 5-7.
February 13th, 2025 at 3:55 am
teacherman … ‘Get 6 picks in the first 4 rounds. Forget rounds 5-7.’
To get 6 picks in the first 4 rnds by trading down then up would be incredible. However, doubt any team has ever been able to pull that off.
February 13th, 2025 at 5:12 am
Can you imagine Joe what this young man could do with a complimentary pass rush. I’m salivating with free agency right around the corner. Thread lightly Jason, thread lightly.
February 13th, 2025 at 5:16 am
If you offered to trade me Myles Garrett for Calijah Kancey I would say I’ve got to think about that one. We need an edge as Ira’s last article indicates. But it’s not simple. And our Joe will surely have a meltdown if said “edge” doesn’t quickly materialize and lead our boat parade this time next year. We drafted Kancey, let’s aim to get another one like him. Or 2 like him. With healthy calves. Gotta get inside linebackers. They say you can find them in the middle rounds. SVD has potential but shoulders scare me. We’d have to trade draft picks to get Garrett or someone like him, draft picks like the one we used to score Kancey. I like Defense Rules ideas on inside linebacker and interior defensive lineman. The last few rounds try to get lucky with a defensive back or 2. The important thing is to not give away draft picks and if we can trade around for more all the better.
February 13th, 2025 at 8:15 am
I hate to throw shade on one of my favorite players, but unfortunately I can remember one very important missed tackle on Jayden Daniels in the wildcard game that cost us dearly…. And that was Cancey. Went for Daniels on what could of been a game changing stop and came away with his hand towel…
February 13th, 2025 at 8:31 am
Yup he didn’t miss any tackles, except for when he grabbed Daniels towel 😭😭😭😭
February 13th, 2025 at 9:18 am
Play a full season then we can talk him up.
February 13th, 2025 at 9:41 am
He has over a quarterback hit for every game played, just under a tackle for loss per game and a sack in almost every other game.
He has been fantastic when playing. Need him healthy for the entire year!
February 13th, 2025 at 9:57 am
Wow. That’s amazing.
How was he defending the deep middle zone? That’s what’s really important in this defense.
February 13th, 2025 at 10:44 am
@ teacher/DR
I also like the idea of moving back and collecting a few more picks in rounds 1-4.
In 2022 our GM traded down from pick #27 to pick #33 and received pick #106 and #180 from the Jags.
If we trade from #19 we will hopefully receive a better deal than that…
Pick #33 was L. Hall and pick #106 was C. Otton. I still think we did OK with that swap of picks.
February 13th, 2025 at 10:57 am
The only problem with moving down (and I am a big fan of that, generally) is that you will almost certainly miss out on the best Edge prospects. All the other positions, I agree you can find in rounds 2-5. Rounds 6 and 7 are generally worthless – you can pick those guys up later when they get cut by the team that drafted them.
February 13th, 2025 at 11:14 am
@ Scott
That is a true.
This is all just speculation at this point. My hope is that we find a decent pass rusher via free agency (Hendirckson, C. Young, Mack, Reddick, Koonce).
That will allow us to focus our draft on ILB, LG, S, CB, WR…
But we won’t know until after the free agency period is over.
February 13th, 2025 at 11:42 am
Kancey is terrific, he was living in the backfield vs Wash, unfortunately he wasn’t tackling anyone. Daniels is a slippery guy.
Was the tackling better after the bye because we got that much better or because we were playing much worse teams and players? Didn’t tackle Lamb or Thielen very well, although I guess you have to cover them decently first.
February 13th, 2025 at 12:55 pm
CK needs to figure out his calf issue so he can play a full year.
February 13th, 2025 at 2:50 pm
SOFT SCHEDULE LATE
February 13th, 2025 at 3:11 pm
I guess missed sacks don’t count? I could swear I saw him flying past a QB or two.
February 13th, 2025 at 6:43 pm
Just needs to stay healthy and he’s a 8-10 sack 15+ tfl guy
February 13th, 2025 at 6:44 pm
They must stop collecting data when the playoffs start because main man had like 3 to 4 missed sacks on Jayde Daniel’s
February 14th, 2025 at 5:08 pm
Pretty sure he missed Daniels in the playoffs on two reps. Not knocking the guy, stud on the field when healthy.