Buccaneers outside linebacker Yaya Diaby enters his fourth season and the final year of his rookie contract. Diaby, originally a third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, is on the cusp of a pivotal campaign. He will vie to cement his place in the Tampa Bay defensive lineup for the foreseeable future with stellar production in 2026. Tampa Bay bolstered the trenches during the offseason with Rueben Bain Jr., Al Quadin-Muhammad, A'Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches, which will help create advantageous matchups for Diaby and enhance pressure packages for Todd Bowles.
Last year, Diaby became the Bucs' top-producing pass rusher with a team-best 7.0 sacks. He totaled 783 snaps in 2025 and had the sixth highest pressure rate (16.3%) in 2025 amongst edge rushers with a minimum of 350 pass rush snaps per NextGen Stats. Diaby accumulated 19 quarterback hits and 62 pressures (14th) this past season, anchoring the unit.
Diaby, a power rusher, has led Tampa Bay in sacks in two of his three NFL campaigns and will look to add to his tally in 2026. He is able to quickly separate with a jarring punch and possesses strong short-area acceleration. The athletic specimen pairs a dominant bull rush with an effective spin move. He powers through blockers and has the ability to loop inside on twists and stunts. Teams will have to decide where to slide protections this upcoming season, which will create opportunities on occasion for Diaby to take advantage of favorable one-on-one matchups. He combines an explosive first step with elite 4.51-second closing speed and was utilized all along the line in 2025 to maximize his ability. In 2026 as Diaby continues to diversify his pass rush arsenal and weaponize his power, his influence will intensify.
