Buccaneers select YaYa Diaby in Third Round of 2023 NFL Draft

The defensive end is the first Louisville football player to be selected in this year's draft.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Louisville defensive end YaYa Diaby has been selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the No. 82 overall pick in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Diaby is the first former Cardinal to be selected in this year's draft. He is also the school's 154th all-time NFL Draft selection, and the 25th former Louisville player to be drafted in the last 10 years.

The 6-foot-4, 270-pound defensive end took a massive step forward for his senior season, and was a key component behind one of the most disruptive front sevens in all of college football.

Starting all 13 games in 2022, he collected 14.0 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks, trailing only Yasir Abdullah for the most on the team, with his sack total ranking second in the ACC. He also tallied 37 tackles, four QB hurries and two recovered fumbles en route to Third-Team All-ACC honors.

Related: YaYa Diaby 2023 NFL Draft Profile

The Atlanta native spent the first two years of his collegiate career in the JUCO ranks with Georgia Military College before committing to Louisville. Despite being a regular fixture on the defensive line over his first two seasons with the Cardinals, he only collected 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks during this time.

In three years at Louisville, Diaby finished with 94 total tackles (56 solo), 19.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks in 33 appearances and 31 starts.

(Photo of YaYa Diaby: Jared Anderson - Louisville Report

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