Notre Dame Football Has a Star in Boubacar Traore

Losing senior defensive end Jordan Botelho hurt badly but Traore is balling out in his absence.

Notre Dame defensive lineman Boubacar Traore, second from right, celebrates getting a stop during a NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Northern Illinois at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in South Bend. / Michael Clubb / USA TODAY NETWORK

Redshirt freshman defensive end Boubacar Traore has been making plays all season for Notre Dame and just had another career game against Miami University.

After a sack, tackle for loss and interception return for a touchdown against Purdue, Traore dominated against Miami on Saturday. In just the first half against the RedHawks, the young edge rusher tallied a career-high four tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and an additional quarterback hit.

In his first career start today vs. Miami OH, freshman DE Boubacar Traore has a career-high four tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a QBH – all in the first half.

— Notre Dame Football PR Team (@NDFootballPR) September 21, 2024

After losing senior defensive end Jordan Botelho to injury last week against Purdue, many Irish fans were concerned. Botelho was finally putting it together in a big way and it was nice to have Traore as a complimentary piece, allowing the Notre Dame defensive staff to rotate the two pass rushers and pick their spots.

With Botelho out for the season, the heaping majority of snaps will fall to the young defensive end Traore and he has made the most of them so far. On top of the stats he acquired Saturday, if you were able to watch the game, you saw Traore constantly wreaking havoc in the Miami Redhawk backfield.

The Boston native has a knack for getting after the passer in a way that Notre Dame has not seen off the edge since Isaiah Foskey.

Traore has the potential to be a first round pick and will be a household name sooner rather than later in Notre Dame fan households and national ones. The Irish got a gem to say the least and he is just getting going.

Expect Traore to continue to ramp up this season and continue to ruin the opposition gameplan. Notre Dame has a special player on its hands and one that will be around for the next two seasons in an Irish uniform.

Buy your stock now, Boubacar Traore is a bona-fide first round talent in South Bend.