2026 NFL Draft: Seydou Traore - From South London goalkeeper to NFL ready

There's no story in the 2026 NFL Draft quite like Seydou Traore's. A London goalkeeper turned SEC tight end, he's on the verge of making history on Thursday.

Here's his journey so far, from Westmoreland to the International Player Pathway and now, potentially, an NFL roster.

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Traore's UK roots

Born in France on 12 August 2002, Traore grew up in Westmoreland, South London, the son of a French-Algerian mother and an Ivorian father.

Like most kids in the UK, he gravitated towards other sports at first, and excelled as a soccer goalkeeper. Until that point, there were no signs he had a future in American football, let alone the NFL.

The London Warriors changed that. He played 9-on-9, got hooked, and then spent a year at the NFL Academy in Barnet, part of the International Player Pathway (IPP).

An opportunity to travel stateside to join Clearwater Academy in Florida came next - a move that made for an interesting conversation at home.

"Explaining to my family that I'm going to travel halfway across the world to go and play football," he told Sky Sports.

"They're just kind of relying on me to have belief in myself, to be honest, because they didn't really understand what the sport was, how it's played."

Justin Ford / Stringer

From three-star recruit to Sun Belt and SEC standout

After starring for Clearwater, Traore joined Arkansas State in 2021, still a little green by college standards.

The youngster spent his first year in the program refining his craft, catching only 11 balls for 79 yards.

It was the kind of slow start that should be expected of a latecomer to the sport, but the best was yet to come.

Traore enjoyed a breakout year in 2022, posting 50 receptions for 655 yards and four touchdowns, earning First-team All-Sun Belt honours.

A move to the University of Colorado followed, but Traore re-entered the transfer portal and joined Mississippi State, where he posted 69 catches for 730 yards and six touchdowns over the next two seasons.

What Traore offers as a player

As a wide receiver-tight end hybrid, blocking on the line of scrimmage isn't where Traore does most of his damage.

He can and will work on his blocking technique, but for now, what's got scouts interested is his receiving upside.

In space, with the ball in his hands, Traore is a playmaker. He amassed 215 yards after contact in 2025 alone.

As The Athletic's Dane Brugler put it, Traore "offers intriguing athleticism and pass-catching talent for a developmental F tight end."

Despite Traore's relatively limited exposure to the game, Brugler also praised his advanced skills and work ethic.

"He has more natural ball skills than one might expect from a player with his meagre experience, and he shows ascending toughness through the catch point.

"His coaches praise his dedicated mindset and commitment."

Combine snub, Pro Day statement

Traore didn't receive an invite to the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, which baffled a few people who'd been watching him at the East-West Shrine Bowl.

Draft analyst Tony Pauline, who'd followed Traore closely at the Shrine Bowl, raved about his performance.

Undeterred by his Combine snub, Traore showed up to his Pro Day and showed scouts what they were missing.

At 244 pounds, he ran a 4.57-second 40-yard dash, jumped a 40-inch vertical. and ran a 6.95-second three-cone - numbers that would have really stood out in Indy.

What happens in Pittsburgh?

The Colts brought him in on an official 30-visit. The Chargers sent their tight ends coach to his Pro Day. The Jets spent time with him, too. Teams are paying attention.

A late Day 3 pick is the projection, potentially in Round 7. However, IPP status means a roster exemption comes with the territory, so Traore won't count against a team's 53-man roster.

Jordan Mailata, Jakob Johnson and Charlie Smyth all came through the same IPP door. Now it's Traore's turn.