Yaya Diaby

ACQUIRED BY BUCS:

Selected in the third round (82nd overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft.

ACQUIRED BY BUCS:

Selected in the third round (82nd overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES:

1x NFC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 18, 2024).

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

Has appeared in 51 career games for Tampa Bay, making 41 starts and amassing 142 tackles (38 for loss), 47 quarterback hits, 19.0 sacks, three fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles and one pass defensed.

Has started three postseason contests, logging eight tackles (one for loss) and one quarterback hit.

In 2025, ranked fifth among qualified pass rushers (min. 350 snaps) in pressure rate, pressuring the opposing quarterback on 16.3% of dropbacks.

Tallied 68 total quarterback pressures in 2025, tied for the eighth-most in the NFL.

Became the seventh player since 2008 to record at least 12 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 finished the 2023 season leading all rookies in tackles for loss (12).

Led the Buccaneers and ranked third among all rookies with 7.5 sacks in 2023.

2025 HIGHLIGHTS:

Started at outside linebacker in the Week 1 victory in Atlanta, playing 56-of-76 defensive snaps and contributing three tackles (one for loss) and two quarterback hits.

Per Next Gen Stats, Diaby generated four quarterback pressures in Week 1 — the second-most on the Buccaneers.

In the Week 2 win at Houston, started at outside linebacker and played 40-of-49 defensive snaps, logging two tackles.

In Week 2, Diaby was tied for the team lead with three quarterback pressures, per Next Gen Stats, generating a 13.6% pressure rate.

Started at outside linebacker and played 48-of-69 defensive snaps in the Week 3 win over the New York Jets, tallying four tackles (two for loss), two quarterback hits and 1.0 sack. His sack represented his first of the season and improved his career total to 13.0.

According to Next Gen Stats, Diaby recorded career highs in quarterback pressures (11) and pressure rate (36.7%) in Week 3. His 11 pressures led all NFL players in Week 3, with his 36.7% pressure rate leading all defenders with at least 15 pass rush snaps.

Sunday's contest marked Diaby's fourth career game with multiple quarterback hits and multiple tackles for loss.

Per Pro Football Focus, Diaby was Tampa Bay's third-highest graded player in Week 3, earning an 86.5 overall grade. Among edge rushers with at least 40 snaps in Week 3, Diaby's 86.5 mark ranked fourth in the NFL.

Started at outside linebacker in Week 4 vs. Philadelphia, playing 47-of-57 defensive snaps and contributing three tackles.

In the Week 5 win at Seattle, started at outside linebacker and played 47-of-61 defensive snaps. Finished with two tackles and one quarterback hit.

Per Next Gen Stats, Diaby tallied three quarterback pressures in Week 5, including two "quick" pressures (within 2.5 seconds of the snap). His average time to pressure of 2.40 seconds led all Buccaneers (min. 3+ pass rushes).

In the Week 6 win over San Francisco, started at outside linebacker and played 44-of-69 defensive snaps, amassing three tackles (two for loss), two quarterback hits and 2.0 sacks.

Diaby's multi-sack performance in Week 6 marked the second such game of his career, joining another matchup against the 49ers in Week 11 of the 2023 season.

Per Next Gen Stats, Diaby led the Buccaneers with a 2.20 second average time to pressure in Week 6. Among Tampa Bay's starters, his 16.7% pressure rate led the team.

In Week 7 at Detroit, started at outside linebacker and played 53-of-68 defensive snaps, recording his team-leading fourth sack of the season on a first quarter stripsack of Jared Goff. Totaled five tackles (two for loss), one quarterback hit and the stripsack.

Week 7 marked Diaby's 10th career game with multiple tackles for loss.

Started at outside linebacker in the Week 8 win at New Orleans, playing 51-of-72 defensive snaps and contributing two tackles.

Per Next Gen Stats, Diaby led the Buccaneers in pressures in Week 8, generating six, with a 16.2% pressure rate.

In Week 10 vs. New England, started at outside linebacker and played 49-of-61 defensive snaps, contributing three tackles and one quarterback hit.

According to Next Gen Stats, Diaby generated five pressures in Week 10, producing a 20.8% pressure rate.

Started at outside linebacker and played 46-of-56 defensive snaps in Week 11 at Buffalo, logging two tackles and one quarterback hit.

In Week 12 at the Los Angeles Rams, started at outside linebacker and played 37-of-56 defensive snaps, recording two tackles (one for loss), one quarterback hit and 1.0 sack. His sack improved his then-team-leading total to 5.0 on the season.

Per Next Gen Stats, led the Buccaneers with four pressures in Week 12, producing a 15.4% pressure rate.

Diaby's sack in Week 12 brought his career total to 17.0. His 17.0 sacks were the fifth-most by a Buccaneers player in their first three career seasons since sacks became an official statistic in 1982, trailing only Warren Sapp (22.5), Broderick Thomas (20.5), Regan Upshaw (18.5) and Santana Dotson (18.0).

According to Pro Football Focus, Diaby was Tampa Bay's highest-graded player in Week 12, earning a 76.1 overall grade.

Started at outside linebacker in the Week 13 win over Arizona, playing 43- of-61 defensive snaps and tallying two tackles on the day (one for loss), two quarterback hits and 1.0 sack. His sack increased his season total to 6.0 and his career total to 18.0.x Diaby's 18.0 career sacks were tied for the third-most by a Buccaneers player through his first 46 games played, trailing only Warren Sapp (22.5) and Stylez G. White (19.5).

In Week 14 vs. New Orleans, started at outside linebacker and played 48-of- 58 defensive snaps, recording two tackles, one quarterback hit and one pass defensed. It marked the first pass defensed of his career.

Per Next Gen Stats, Diaby recorded a team-high-tying three quarterback pressures in Week 14.

Started at outside linebacker in Week 15 vs. Atlanta, playing 55-of-71 defensive snaps and producing four tackles (one for loss) and two quarterback hits. His two quarterback hits represented his sixth straight game with at least one, good for the then-longest-such stretch of his career.

According to Next Gen Stats, Diaby recorded a team-high five quarterback pressures in Week 15.

Started at outside linebacker in Week 16 at Carolina, playing all 54 defensive snaps and amassing two quarterback hits, plus one tackle. Week 16 marked the seventh straight game in which Diaby has produced at least one quarterback hit, the longest-such streak of his career.

According to Next Gen Stats, Diaby generated nine pressures on 28 pass rushes (32.1% pressure rate) against the Panthers in Week 16, marking the second-most pressures and second-highest pressure rate in a game in his career.

Per Pro Football Focus, Diaby was Tampa Bay's highest-graded defender in Week 16, earning an 80.7 overall grade.

In Week 17 at Miami, started at outside linebacker and played 37-of-55 defensive snaps, producing six tackles (two for loss), one quarterback hit and 1.0 sack. His sack increased his then-team-leading total to 7.0, and his career total to 19.0.

Week 17 marked Diaby's seventh straight game with a tackle for loss, the longest-such streak of his career and tied for the sixth-longest streak in the NFL at the time.

With his performance in Week 17, Diaby reached 12 tackles for loss on the season and became the seventh player with 12+ tackles for loss in each of the 2023—25 seasons, joining Nik Bonitto, Brian Burns, Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett, Danielle Hunter and Micah Parsons.

By grabbing his 12th tackle for loss on the year in Week 17, Diaby also became the seventh player to record 12+ tackles for loss in each of their first three career seasons, joining teammate Lavonte David, Maxx Crosby, Aaron Donald, Khalil Mack, Micah Parsons and J.J. Watt (Since tackles for loss became officially tracked by TruMedia in 2008).

Per Pro Football Focus, Diaby was Tampa Bay's highest-graded player in Week 17, earning a 90.0 overall defensive grade. It marked the then-highest graded game of his career.

In the Week 18 win over Carolina, started at outside linebacker and played 40-of-51 defensive snaps, contributing four tackles (one for loss).

Per Next Gen Stats, Diaby led all Buccaneers defenders with four quarterback pressures in Week 18.

COLLEGE:

Appeared in 34 games across three seasons (2020-22) at the University of Louisville, amassing 94 tackles (19.5 for loss), 10.5 sacks, two passes defensed and two fumble recoveries.

Prior to attending Louisville, Diaby spent two years at Georgia Military College (2018-19), where he collected 77 tackles and seven sacks.

Was named third team All-ACC as a senior in 2022 when he finished with 37 tackles (14 for loss), 9.0 sacks, two passes defensed and two fumble recoveries.

As a junior in 2021, finished with 39 tackles (three for loss) and 1.5 sacks across 13 games.

Appeared in eight games as a sophomore in 2020, tallying 18 tackles (2.5 for loss).

PERSONAL:

Prior to attending Georgia Military College, he worked as a wheelchair passenger assistant at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Son of Mariama and Mohamed Diaby.

Is named after his maternal uncle.

Has one brother and one sister.

Majored in criminal justice at Louisville.