In his third season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Yaya Diaby led the club with 7.0 sacks and consistently made his way into the backfield. He sped up the progression of opposing quarterbacks and overwhelmed with strong hands at the point of attack. His lateral quickness made him proficient at twist loops inside and Diaby routinely kept offensive tackles off-kilter with a lethal punch.
Diaby is one-of-seven players since 2008 with 12-plus tackles for loss in each of their first three seasons, joining Lavonte David, Maxx Crosby, Aaron Donald, Khalil Mack, Micah Parsons and J.J. Watt. He had the sixth highest pressure rate (16.3%) in 2025 with a minimum of 350 pass rush snaps per NextGen Stats and bolstered the Bucs' defense. He amassed 19 quarterback hits and 62 pressures (14th) in 2025, solidifying the defensive line.
"He was clearly our best pass rusher up front," said Head Coach Todd Bowles. "I thought he had a heck of a season, especially in the second half of the season. He was one of our best players. He plays hard, he plays with a lot of energy, and we just have to help him out with the other guys up front."
Diaby attacks gaps with explosion and the former unranked recruit has solid bend/fluidity off the edge. His first strike has the potential to knock tackles back, creating leverage to surge past. In 2026, Diaby will look to diversify his pass rush arsenal and to become more of a vocal leader. On improving Diaby's ability to get the quarterback on the ground, Run Game Coordinator/Outside Linebackers Coach Larry Foote stressed footwork for craft enhancement.
"It takes years to learn how to rush in this league," noted Foote. "It takes years, you [have] to have instincts, people don't really talk about that, you [have] to have a feel -- a natural feel -- a savviness. Using Yaya [Diaby] for example, and I'm starting to point out [to him], there's a skillset of just a knack to getting the quarterback down. There's [been] too many times this season where he almost had him and didn't get him. Some guys are born with that, but he [has] to develop that, he [must] keep his feet, just little stuff -- technique, don't fall down. A lot of guys, when you're making tackles, your legs and your feet go dead and the guy's going to run away from you. He [has] to do a better job getting the quarterback down. At that position, you [have] to learn how to rush. I come from a 3-4 system back in my day playing in Pittsburgh, and those guys don't just get off the bus rushing and being a dominant pass rusher, some guys develop, some guys don't, but you [have] to have your motor, control that and be effective someway, somehow."
