Seydou Traoré’s first taste of American football came not on a field but in front of a television screen, where he watched the weekly NFL program hosted by Jason Bell and Osi Umenyiora on a British channel. That early exposure sparked a fascination that would, years later, see him become the very subject of the analysts’ discussion. Now, as a tight end for Mississippi State, the 23‑year‑old who was born in France and grew up in the United Kingdom, Traoré is set to represent South London on the national stage when he steps into the 2026 NFL Draft. His journey underscores how the sport’s reach has expanded far beyond the United States, drawing talent from every corner of the globe.
When you meet Traoré, you notice a calm, almost meditative demeanor. He carries a laser‑like focus and a grounded attitude that rarely gives way to the heightened emotions that typically accompany Draft week. Still, he admits that hearing his name called could stir a rare moment of sentiment. "It will definitely be a special moment," he told Sky Sports.
"I’m not usually the emotional type during calls, but I know there will be a feeling when my name is announced." His path to this point has been anything but linear. As a child, he tended goalposts as a goalkeeper and dreamed like countless British youngsters of a future in soccer. Today, he cradles the same ball—only this time as a tight end catching passes on the gridiron.
The parks of South London have been swapped for the stadiums of Florida, Arkansas, and Mississippi as he forged a winding collegiate career. "I started playing American football relatively late in my teens," Traoré recalled.
"My first experience was with the London Warriors, a club just ten minutes from my house. Growing up in South London’s Westmoreland area, I loved the sport instantly. Before that I was trying everything—soccer, rugby, basketball—anything my school offered." Soccer dominated his early athletic life, but once he discovered football, he earned a spot at the NFL Academy for a year during the COVID‑19 pandemic.
After that stint, he crossed the Atlantic to attend Clearwater Academy in Florida, where he posted 26 receptions for 433 yards and three touchdowns in a single season. Those numbers earned him a three‑star recruit rating and a scholarship to Arkansas State University. "Playing American football in London is still a niche," he said.
"Only a handful of people back home understand the scale of the sport overseas. Explaining to my family that I would travel half the world to pursue it was a challenge. They trusted my determination, knowing that once I set my mind on something, I would chase it relentlessly." At Arkansas State, Traoré quickly made his mark, earning First‑Team All‑Sun Belt honors after leading the conference in tight‑end receptions during his debut season.
He recorded 62 catches for 752 yards and four touchdowns across two years before transferring to the University of Colorado. After just one semester at Colorado, he entered the transfer portal again and landed at Mississippi State, where he would spend what feels like the final chapter of his college career.
The move coincided with a pivotal moment for his family, who visited the United States for the first time during the 2025 season and witnessed the magnitude of college football firsthand. "When I tell people I play university sports, it doesn’t capture how massive college athletics are in America," Traoré explained.
"Seeing my family in the stands was an eye‑opener. One of my earliest ‘wow’ moments was at Arkansas State when we played Ohio State in front of over 100,000 fans.
That surreal atmosphere made the dream feel real." The transatlantic route is already unconventional, but an additional hurdle appeared when NCAA transfer rules forced him to sit out the 2023 season after his brief Colorado stint. He had been looking forward to working with Colorado head coach Deion Sanders and star teammate Travis Hunter, now with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the sit‑out period delayed those plans.
"It reinforced what I already knew about myself—if an opportunity isn’t immediate, I’ll keep pursuing it," he said. "Missing a season didn’t mean I’d stop preparing.
It reminded me why I’m here and forced me to dig deeper, rather than just stay in my dorm and sulk." Traoré belongs to the inaugural class of NFL Academy graduates, a program launched in Barnet in 2019 to develop international talent. His story has taken him from the bustling streets of London to the slower‑paced, countryside‑like environments of Arkansas and Mississippi, teaching him a new rhythm of life. "I’m still the same person at heart, but living in the South for five years has given me a more relaxed, tranquil outlook," he reflected. "The pace is slower, and that has taught me patience." He approaches the Draft with that same tranquility, offering advice that reflects his journey.
"Sometimes you have to keep knocking on different doors; eventually one will open. When it does, walk through and see what’s waiting for you," he said in an NFL UK documentary. By the end of his collegiate tenure, Traoré amassed 126 receptions for 1,402 yards and ten touchdowns, with half of those scores coming in his final season.
While practicing at Mississippi State, he would pause to stare at the wall of NFL alumni photos in the indoor facility, imagining his own name among them. He remains deeply rooted in his origins.
"I always remember where I came from and how I grew up," he says. "I want people back home to see that it’s possible.
Those same grass fields next to my house were where I ran routes as a kid. The environment in London reminds me of my start and how far I’ve traveled. My message is simple: if you care about something enough, chase it.
Don’t listen to the ifs, buts, or maybes. If it’s in your heart, it’s achievable." Fans can watch all three days of the 2026 NFL Draft live on Sky Sports, with Day One kicking off at 1 a.m. on Friday morning.