Seydou Traore’s first encounter with American football came from a weekly NFL program on British TV, hosted by Jason Bell and Osi Umenyiora. Decades later, he has become the very subject of their analysis. The French‑born, UK‑raised tight end, who grew up in South London, was chosen by the Miami Dolphins with the 180th overall pick in this year’s draft. His path to the NFL has been anything but linear.

As a child he guarded the net as a soccer goalkeeper, dreaming like countless other British youngsters of a future in the beautiful game. Today he cradles an oval ball as a tight end, and the parks of South London have been replaced by fields in Florida, Arkansas and Mississippi as he forged a winding college career. "I didn’t start playing American football until I was a teenager," the 23‑year‑old recalled. "My first experience was with the London Warriors, a club that was only about ten minutes from my house.

Growing up in Westmoreland, South London, I fell in love with the sport. Before that I was trying everything—soccer, rugby, basketball—anything the school offered.

"Soccer was my first passion, but once I tried football I ended up at the NFL Academy for a year during the COVID period, then moved on to Clearwater Academy in Florida." At Clearwater he logged 26 receptions for 433 yards and three touchdowns in a single season, earning a three‑star rating and a commitment to Arkansas State University. "Playing American football in London is a niche; only a handful of people understand the scale of the sport abroad," Traore explained. "When I told my family I was going to cross the Atlantic to play, they didn’t really grasp what the game involved.

I just had to convince them that I believed in myself. They trusted my determination and knew that if I set my mind on something, I would pursue it relentlessly." In his freshman year at Arkansas State he led the Sun Belt Conference in tight‑end receptions, finishing with 62 catches for 752 yards and four scores over two seasons, an effort that earned him First‑Team All‑Sun Belt honors. After that success he transferred to the University of Colorado, only to re‑enter the transfer portal after one semester and land at Mississippi State.

The final stop of his collegiate journey seemed to bring the magnitude of his opportunity into sharp focus. "Last year was the first time my family visited the United States during the season, and they got to see a few of my big games. That really drove home how massive college football is here," he said.

"When I tell people I play university sports, it doesn’t convey the scale of American college athletics. Seeing the crowds, the stadiums, the media—it was an eye‑opener." He recalled his first experience playing in front of a stadium that held over 100,000 fans at Ohio State while still at Arkansas State, describing it as a surreal "wow, I’m really here" moment. The transatlantic leap was not without setbacks.

NCAA transfer rules forced Traore to sit out the 2023 season after his brief stint in Colorado, delaying his on‑field progress. He had been looking forward to joining Deion Sanders at Colorado and sharing the field with two‑position star Travis Hunter, now a Jacksonville Jaguar, but that plan fell through. The enforced hiatus, however, reinforced his resolve.

"It reminded me that I’ll chase any opportunity with both hands," he reflected. "Just because I’m not playing this year doesn’t mean there won’t be a chance next year. I used the time to prepare, to remember why I’m here, and not to waste it lounging in my dorm.

It forced me to dig deep and stay focused on my purpose." Living in the American South for the past five years has also reshaped his lifestyle. "I’m still the same person, but the South feels like the countryside compared to London’s hustle. The pace is slower, more tranquil, and it’s taught me patience," he said in an NFL UK documentary.

"You have to keep knocking on doors, trying different paths, because eventually something opens. When it does, walk through and see what’s there for you," he added.

By the end of his college career Traore had compiled 126 receptions for 1,402 yards and ten touchdowns, five of which came in his final season at Mississippi State. He often spent moments after practice staring at photos of the school’s NFL alumni displayed on the indoor facility’s wall, visualizing his own future among them. He remains grounded in his origins.

"I always remember my roots, where I grew up, and I want people back home to feel inspired. The same grass fields next to my house in London are where I ran routes as a kid. That environment reminds me of how far I’ve come.

I want kids, adults—anyone—to know that anything is possible if you take the risk and chase it. "My message is simple: if you care about something deeply, go after it.

Don’t listen to the ifs, buts, and maybes. If it’s in your heart, it’s achievable."