Seydou Traoré’s first encounter with American football came not on a field but through the television screen, as he watched the weekly NFL analysis show hosted by Jason Bell and Osi Umenyiora on British TV. That early glimpse sparked a curiosity that would later turn him into the very subject of such analysis. Born in France and raised in the bustling neighborhoods of South London, Traoré grew up chasing a very different sport. As a child he tended the goalposts for a local soccer team, dreaming like countless other British youngsters of a future in the beautiful game.

Yet his athletic interests were eclectic—he dabbled in rugby, basketball and any other sport his school offered. It wasn’t until his teenage years that he finally stepped onto a gridiron. "I picked up American football pretty late in my teens," the 23‑year‑old explains. "My first experience was with the London Warriors, a club that was just a ten‑minute drive from my home." The transition from soccer goalkeeper to tight end was dramatic.

In South London’s parks and school fields he once chased a round ball with his feet; now he was learning to catch a prolate spheroid and run precise routes. After a brief stint playing for the Warriors, he earned a spot at the NFL Academy, where he spent a year honing his skills during the COVID‑19 pandemic. The Academy experience opened the door to the United States, and he soon found himself at Clearwater Academy in Florida, a hotbed for emerging football talent. At Clearwater, Traoré flourished.

He recorded 26 receptions for 433 yards and three touchdowns in a single season, performances that earned him a three‑star recruit rating. With that résumé, he committed to Arkansas State University, marking the first major step of his collegiate football odyssey. "Playing American football in London, only a handful of people really understand the path or the scale of the sport overseas," Traoré says. Convincing his family to support a transatlantic move was not easy.

"I had to explain that I was going to travel halfway across the world to play a sport they barely knew. They trusted me because they knew I was determined and would chase anything I set my mind to." His freshman year at Arkansas State was a breakout.

He led the Sun Belt Conference in tight‑end receptions, tallying 62 catches for 752 yards and four touchdowns across two seasons. His performance earned him First‑Team All‑Sun Belt honors and attracted attention from larger programs. After his sophomore campaign, Traoré entered the transfer portal and chose the University of Colorado, hoping to play under head coach Deion Sanders and alongside two‑position star Travis Hunter.

Unfortunately, NCAA transfer rules forced him to sit out the 2023 season, a setback that tested his resolve. "It was a reminder that opportunities don’t always come on schedule," he reflects. "Being sidelined made me dig deeper, focus on preparation, and remember why I’m here. I refused to let a lost season define me." When the Colorado chapter ended, Traoré transferred once more, this time to Mississippi State.

The Bulldogs offered a platform to showcase his talents in the SEC, the most competitive conference in college football. It was here, amid the swamps of Mississippi, that the magnitude of his journey truly sank in. "Last year my family came to the United States for the first time and attended a few of my games.

Seeing the scale of college football—stadiums that hold over 100,000 fans—was an eye‑opener," he recounts. He recalls a particular moment at Arkansas State when his team faced Ohio State: "Walking onto a field with more than a hundred thousand people in the stands was surreal. That’s when I realized I was part of something huge." Life in the American South contrasted sharply with his London upbringing. "I’m still the same person, but living in the countryside of the South for five years has taught me a slower, more tranquil way of life," he notes.

The change in pace gave him space to reflect on his roots while appreciating the new environment. By the end of his college career, Traoré had amassed 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 gazing at the wall of NFL alumni photos in the indoor facility, visualizing himself among those legends. Now, with the Miami Dolphins selecting him 180th overall in the NFL Draft, Traoré stands on the cusp of realizing a dream that began on a modest South London field.

He remains grounded, however, never forgetting where his story started. "I always remember my roots and where I grew up," he says. "Those same grass fields next to my house are where I ran routes as a kid.

I want people back home—kids, adults—to see that it’s possible. If you care deeply about something, chase it.

Ignore the ifs, buts and maybes. When it’s in your heart, it can become reality."