Second-year outside linebacker Yaya Diaby consistently collapsed the pocket in 2024, affecting opposing quarterbacks. Although his sack numbers (4.5) may not have flashed, he sped up quarterback progressions repeatedly with short-area burst. Diaby led the Bucs in pressures with 57 last season and he posted 13 run stuffs (loss or no gain) in 2024. He was just one of eight edge rushers to record 50-plus pressures and 10-plus run stuffs (also Myles Garrett, Jared Verse, Jonathan Greenard, Brian Burns, Greg Rousseau, Will Anderson, Maxx Crosby).
Diaby improved from 26 pressures and nine run stuffs during his rookie campaign and found ways to harness his power in the chess match this past season. In Week 18, he became one of just four players in 2024 with four-or-more tackles for loss and four-plus quarterback hits in a single game, joining Aidan Hutchinson (Week 2), Trey Hendrickson (Week 9) and Nick Bosa (Week 17).
"I've seen him grow mentally, understanding how people are trying to block him," said Head Coach Todd Bowles. "The first year, he was just trying to run through everything and we kind of let him go because he was a bull in a China shop. Last year, he was more strategic in how he rushed the passer. Despite the sack numbers, he still was our most prolific pass rusher as far as getting pressures. [We] just expect him to finish those plays this year."
In his encore campaign, Diaby took a tactical rush approach with an emphasis on mental fortitude. He enhanced his pass rush arsenal with a variety of moves, channeling his power to counteract blockers. Diaby became a lethal component of Bowles' stunts/twists with his lateral quickness and kept blockers off-balance with a diversified technique. His tactical mindset in Year Two sparked growth and he is primed for a breakout year in 2025 in a prominent leadership role.
