The Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed to address edge rusher in the 2023 NFL draft, and they did just that — just a little later than expected. The prospect they chose, YaYa Diaby, is an electric athlete who may need some technical refinement at the next level.
Here’s everything you need to know about the former Louisville star:
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 263 lbs
Age: 23
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Scouting Report (Dane Brugler, The Athletic): “A three-year starter at Louisville, Diaby was the field defensive end in former defensive coordinator Bryan Brown’s three-man front, playing head up over the tackle and occasionally moving inside or outside. A late bloomer, he took a winding road to reach the NFL’s doorstep, including working at the airport after high school, but things clicked for him in 2022 with personal bests in sacks (9.0) and tackles for loss (14.0). An impressive height/weight/speed athlete, Diaby bursts off his spots with the power/bend to wrap blockers and close with violence. His rush counters tend to get choppy once he meets resistance and his run-game discipline will need to improve versus NFL competition. Overall, Diaby needs to develop a more instinctive and craftier approach to breaking down blockers, but he has the natural explosion and length to attack gaps or power through the shoulder of blockers like a swinging saloon door. He has intriguing development potential as a scheme-diverse, leverage-power rusher.”
What GM Jason Licht said: “YaYa just has an incredible combination of speed and strength, and it’s kind of scary what the upside is with this guy. He started to hit his stride this year and we feel it’s nothing but upside in the future.”
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