The days and weeks leading up to the NFL Draft can be a hectic time for some prospects. Even with the pro days and NFL Scouting Combine in the rearview mirror, draft hopefuls are often on the road to various spots around the country doing pre-draft visits with potential teams. And then there are those who just wait out the clock, like Pitt defensive tackle Calijah Kancey.
The 22-year-old told the NFL Network on Wednesday that he has made zero official pre-draft visits. Kancey is considered a possible first-round pick this year CBS Sports NFL Draft Analyst Josh Edwards he has even been selected by the Philadelphia Eagles at number 30 in his last mock draft. He is also CBS Sports’ No. 3 defensive lineman in this class and the No. 30 overall prospect.
Does this mean his hopes of hearing his name called on day one are now in jeopardy? No. Just because Kancey hasn’t made any official top-30 visits doesn’t necessarily mean his draft stock is on the decline. It really could mean that teams already know everything they need about him to have an informed view heading into the draft.
After all, Kancey has already put out an impressive resume, including an ACC Defensive Player of the Year award with Pitt last year. He did the same with the combine harvester set a 40-yard sprint record for defensive tackles, breaking Aaron Donald’s goal. With all that in mind, he’s lined up pretty well and teams have taken notice, even though they may not need to meet him in the final stages of the pre-design process.
It is also important to note that this does not include potential team encounters during the NFL Scouting Combine. Kancey acknowledged at the time that he’d met “a few teams,” so there’s definitely interest in him.
Often, pre-draft visits are used by teams to get updated medical records on a prospect and to conduct interviews, especially if there are concerns off the field. And that doesn’t seem to be the case with Kancey, which is the logical reason why he hasn’t met any official pre-draft teams.