British tight end Seydou Traore is set to make his mark in the NFL after being chosen by the Miami Dolphins with the 180th overall pick. Standing at 6ft 4in and weighing 244lb, Traore became the first player to be drafted via the NFL's International Player Pathway Program.
Born in France and raised in London, the 23-year-old moved to Florida in 2020, where he first played 11 v 11 football. Traore's impressive college career saw him catch 131 passes for 1,482 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 6.5 yards after the catch. Miami's general manager, Jon-Eric Sullivan, described Traore as a 'raw, athletic ball of clay' with immense potential. 'He hasn't been playing football for long, which made him an intriguing pick, especially at that value,' Sullivan said.
'We believe he's a player on the rise, with his best performances yet to come, and he can pose a threat to defenses in time.' Traore joins a tight end group that includes Greg Dulcich and third-round pick Will Kacmarek. In two seasons at Mississippi State, he caught 69 passes, including a career-best five touchdowns last season.
The Dolphins have now drafted two tight ends in this year's draft. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles picked up Nigerian player Uar Bernard with the 251st overall pick. 'This is a dream come true for me, as I've worked hard to achieve this goal,' Bernard said. 'Although I haven't played football yet, I've gone through drills that have made me believe I can improve every day.'