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 34 career games for Tampa Bay, making 24 starts and amassing 92 tackles (25 for loss), 28 quarterback hits, 12.0 sacks, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.

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

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.

2024 HIGHLIGHTS:

Started at outside linebacker in the Week 1 victory over the Washington Commanders, playing 32-of-59 snaps. Was tied for the team lead with four quarterback pressures.

Was Tampa Bay's highest-graded defensive player in Week 1, according to Pro Football Focus.

Started at outside linebacker in the Week 2 victory at the Detroit Lions, playing 65-of-85 defensive snaps and finishing with two tackles (one for loss), and a team-high-tying and then-career-high three quarterback hits.

Per Next Gen Stats, Diaby generated six quarterback pressures in the Week 2 win — the most by any Buccaneer.

In Week 3 vs. Denver, started at outside linebacker and played 45-of68 defensive snaps, recording two tackles.

Started at outside linebacker in the Week 4 victory over Philadelphia, playing 36-of-57 defensive snaps and logging two tackles (one for loss), 1.0 sack and one forced fumble. His strip sack of Jalen Hurts marked his first sack of the season and increased his career sack total to 8.5.

According to Next Gen Stats, generated a team-high-tying four quarterback pressures in Week 4, logging a 21.1% pressure rate.

In Week 5 at Atlanta, played 49-of-87 defensive snaps, recording five tackles (one for loss) and two quarterback hits.

Per Next Gen Stats, generated a team-high-tying five quarterback pressures in Week 5.

According to Pro Football Focus, was Tampa Bay's highest-graded defensive player in Week 5 at Atlanta, earning a 78.2 overall grade.

Played 40-of-70 defensive snaps in the Week 6 win over New Orleans, logging three tackles. Per Pro Football Focus, was Tampa Bay's second-highest graded defensive player in the win, earning a 82.2 overall defensive grade.

In Week 7 vs. Baltimore, played 35-of59 defensive snaps and logged five tackles (two for loss), one quarterback hit and 1.0 sack. His sack marked his second of the season and increased his career total to 9.5.

Week 7 marked Diaby's fifth game with multiple tackles for loss since the start of the 2023 season — tied for the 10th-most in the NFL over that span.

Played 38-of-62 defensive snaps in Week 8 vs. Atlanta, logging two tackles and one quarterback hit.

Per Next Gen Stats, Diaby was credited with a team lead-tying three quarterback pressures in Week 8.

Played 61-of-85 defensive snaps in Week 9 at Kansas City, recording five tackles (two for loss). His two tackles for loss marked his sixth career game with multiple tackles for loss and his second of the 2024 season.

Per Next Gen Stats, Diaby was credited with four quarterback pressures in Week 9 at Kansas City, the second-highest output by a Buccaneer. His 2.40 second average time to pressure mark was the fastest such time on Tampa Bay's defense.

In Week 10 vs. San Francisco, played 46-of-64 defensive snaps and logged two tackles and one quarterback hit.

According to Pro Football Focus, was Tampa Bay's highest-graded defensive player in Week 10, recording a 73.9 overall defensive grade.

Played 47-of-59 defensive snaps in the Week 12 win at the New York Giants, totaling three tackles and two quarterback hits. It marked his third game of the season with multiple quarterback hits.

Per Next Gen Stats, Diaby generated a team-high five quarterback pressures in Week 12.

According to Pro Football Focus, Diaby was Tampa Bay's second-highest graded defensive player in the Week 12 win over New York, generating an 85.3 overall defensive grade.

Played 65-of-70 defensive snaps in the Week 13 win at Carolina, recording six tackles (one for loss), a career-high-tying three quarterback hits and one fumble recovery. His fumble recovery came in overtime and gave Tampa Bay the ball for their game-winning possession.

In the Week 14 win over Las Vegas, played 53-of-67 defensive snaps and tallied two tackles. Per Next Gen Stats, generated four pressures — tied for second-most on the Buccaneers.

According to Pro Football Focus, Diaby generated six pressures in Week 14, tied for the most in the NFL among all edge rushers.

Played 40-of-52 defensive snaps in the Week 15 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, tallying one tackle and one quarterback hit.

In Week 16 at Dallas, played 55-of-60 defensive snaps and amassed five tackles, one quarterback hit and a half-sack. The sack increased his season total to 2.5 and his career total to 10.0.

Per Next Gen Stats, Diaby generated a team-high three quarterback pressures in Week 16, recording an average time to pressure of 2.97 seconds.

Played 29-of-47 defensive snaps in the Week 17 win over Carolina, logging three tackles (one for loss), one quarterback hit and 1.0 sack. The sack increased his season total to 3.5 and his career total to 11.0.

According to Next Gen Stats, generated four quarterback pressures in Week 17. All four of his quarterback pressures were defined as "quick" pressures — the highest mark on the team. Diaby's 2.33 second average time to pressure was the highest mark of any Buccaneer with more than 10 pass rush snaps.

In the Week 18 victory over New Orleans, played 49-of-64 defensive snaps and tallied five tackles (four for loss), four quarterback hits and 1.0 sack.

In Week 18, Diaby became the fourth player in 2024 to record four-or-more quarterback hits and tackles for loss in a game, joining Nick Bosa in Week 17, Trey Hendrickson in Week 9 and Aidan Hutchinson in Week 2. He became the second Buccaneer to accomplish the feat, joining Michael Bennett in Week 14 of the 2012 season.

Started at outside linebacker in the Wild Card round against Washington, playing 56-of-73 defensive snaps and recording four tackles (one for loss) and one quarterback hit. According to Next Gen Stats, generated a team-high-tying three quarterback pressures.

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 Academy (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 Academy, 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.