Tampa Bay Buccaneers select YaYa Diaby in 3rd round of 2023 NFL Draft

YaYa Diaby is ready to terrorize quarterbacks at the next level, as the former Louisville Cardinals pass rusher has been selected with the No. 82 overall pick in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Over his time with the Cardinals, Diaby more than impressed. However, it was his 2022 season that really set him apart from the pack, as he accumulated 9.5 sacks on the season, shattering his previous career high.

Now, Diaby will hope that those numbers were far from a mirage, and there isn’t anyone who should be betting against him. The athlete pass rusher has a chance to be great at the next level, as he realizes his dream of playing in the NFL.

YaYa Diaby is a former three-star recruit out of North Clayton (GA) who was a member of the 2017 recruiting cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about former Louisville DE YaYa Diaby

Moreover, NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein took a look at each and every prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft before they took the stage. Here’s what he had to say about YaYa Diaby’s potential.

“Diaby plays with strong hands and clear eyes at the point of attack,” wrote Zierlein. “He can strike and separate as a two-gapping five-technique or pursue and tackle as a 4-3 base end. He’s a power rusher lacking an instinctive approach to beat better NFL tackles, but his lateral quickness and short-area burst make Diaby perfect for a twisting/gaming front.

“His frame and skill set could attract attention as an odd- or even-front end with his ceiling being defined by how much he’s able to improve his creativity as a rusher.”

Additionally, Zierlein elaborated on what he believe’s Diaby’s strengths are, making it easy to see why he was drafted.

“Gets out of stance and up the field in a hurry. Lateral burst works well for him in gaming rush fronts. Effective setting blockers into picks on twist loops. Uses punch-and-pull technique to yank blockers off-balance. Separates at point of attack with sharp punch into full extension. Finds the football through contact and movement. Short-area acceleration to chase down his targets,” wrote Zierlein.

It remains to be seen how YaYa Diaby’s abilities translate to the NFL level, but he’ll have a fantastic shot to showcase his abilities moving forward.