UK tight end Seydou Traore is ready to take the NFL by storm after being selected 180th overall by the Miami Dolphins.
Traore, who stands 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 244 pounds (111 kg), made history as the first player drafted through the NFL’s International Player Pathway program.
The 23-year-old was born in France and grew up in London, but moved to Flordia in 2020 to play 11-on-11 football for the first time.
Traore has caught a total of 131 passes for 1,482 yards and 10 touchdowns in college games, averaging 6.5 yards after the catch.
“He’s kind of a ball of clay with raw athleticism,” Miami general manager John Eric Sullivan said. “He has to get better.
“He hasn’t played football for a long time so that was interesting to us, especially at that value (fifth round).
“We felt he was a player on the rise, a player who had the best balls in front of him and could be a problem for the defense in time. We had our eye on (him) for a while and he fell to us at decent value so we took a shot.”
He joins a tight end group that includes Greg Dulcich and third-round pick Will Kacmarek.
Traore caught 69 passes in two seasons at Mississippi State, scoring a career-high five touchdowns last season, and is the second tight end drafted by the Dolphins in this year’s draft.
Seydoux Traore Scouting Report
- Traore had 752 receiving yards and four TDs over his final two collegiate seasons.
- He participated in the East-West Temple Games.
- He covered 40 meters in 4.5 seconds.
Miami Dolphins 2026 NFL Draft Picks
- 12th overall (Cowboys) – Kadyn Proctor, T, Alabama
- 27th overall (by 49ers) – Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State
- 43rd overall – Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
- 75th overall – Caleb Douglas, WR, Texas Tech
- 87th overall (from Eagles) – Will Kacmarek, TE, Ohio State
- 94th overall (from Broncos) – Chris Bell, WR, Louisville
- 130th overall – Trey Moore, Edge, Texas
- 138th overall (49ers) – Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh
- 158th overall (from Panthers) – Michael Taaffe, S, Texas
- 177th overall (Cowboys) – Kevin Coleman, Jr., WR, Missouri
- 180th overall (Cowboys) – Seydou Traore, TE, Mississippi State
- 200th overall (by Panthers)
- 238th overall (Chargers, Titans, Jets)
Meanwhile, Uar Bernard, a Nigerian who has yet to play in an NFL game, was drafted 251st overall by the Philadelphia Eagles.
“It’s a dream come true because we worked so hard for this,” Bernard said.
“I’ve never played football, but I’ve been through some training that makes me believe I’m going to get better every day.”
