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Summer is here, sort of, and it is everyone’s favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Bucs fans, but also give them an idea of names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Tampa Bay.
Are we going to write about quarterbacks? Offensive tackles? Edge rushers? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Bucs, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so Bucs fans can be the most informed fans.
So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall.
Boubacar Traore enters the 2026 season coming off the most productive year of his college career. After battling through an injury-shortened 2024 campaign, Traore returned in 2025 to become one of the focal points of Notre Dame's defensive front. His breakout season resulted in 10 sacks, 31 pressures, and 26 defensive stops, helping establish him as one of the Fighting Irish's most productive defenders.
What stands out most about Traore is not necessarily elite athletic traits, but rather how well-rounded and instinctive he appears on film. He consistently demonstrates an understanding of what offenses are trying to accomplish and rarely looks out of position. Against the run, he does an excellent job utilizing his length to keep offensive tackles from getting into his frame. One of his most effective techniques involves extending his right arm into blockers, creating separation while maintaining vision into the backfield. That patience allows him to diagnose plays before committing and helps him remain effective at the point of attack.
As a pass rusher, Traore wins more with effort, power, and technique than with explosive athleticism. He consistently drives his legs through contact and works through blockers rather than around them. While he does not possess elite bend around the corner, he has developed a compact spin move that allows him to counter inside without wasting movement. His pass-rush approach is efficient and physical, even if it lacks the deep arsenal of counters that some of the nation's top edge rushers possess.
Traore also brings value outside of traditional pass-rush situations. He has shown the ability to drop into coverage assignments, expand into space, and account for running backs in the flat. While he is not the type of athlete teams will ask to mirror receivers all over the field, he displays enough lateral mobility and awareness to execute his responsibilities effectively.
Entering 2026, Traore looks like a player with a solid foundation already in place. He may not be the most explosive edge defender in the country, but his combination of intelligence, physicality, length, tackling ability, and improving production makes him a name worth monitoring as the season unfolds.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 2027 NFL Draft Summer Report on Notre Dame's Boubacar Traore
Continue reading...
Are we going to write about quarterbacks? Offensive tackles? Edge rushers? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Bucs, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so Bucs fans can be the most informed fans.
So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall.
Background Info
- Listed at 6-foot-5, 253 pounds
- Junior from Boston, Massachusetts
- Attended Catholic Memorial High School
- Consensus four-star recruit coming out of high school
- 2023 All-American Bowl selection
- Helped Catholic Memorial win multiple Massachusetts state championships
- 2025 College Football Comeback Player of the Year Semifinalist
- Brother, Badara Traore, played at LSU and currently plays in the NFL for the Arizona Cardinals
Notable career stats heading into 2026
- 630 career defensive snaps
- 41 pressures
- 14 sacks
- 8 quarterback hits
- 19 quarterback hurries
- 35 defensive stops
- 31 tackles
- 11 assisted tackles
- 2 forced fumbles
- Appeared in 21 games during his Notre Dame career
Notable numbers from PFF heading into 2026
- 79.4 defensive grade in 2025
- 75.2 run-defense grade in 2025
- 80.6 tackling grade in 2025
- 74.9 pass-rush grade in 2025
- 31 pressures in 2025
- 10 sacks in 2025
- 26 defensive stops in 2025
- 470 defensive snaps in 2025
- 294 pass-rush snaps in 2025
Strengths
- High football IQ
- Excellent use of length against offensive tackles
- Strong awareness when diagnosing run concepts
- Uses extension well to create separation from blockers
- Full-body tackler who consistently looks to finish plays
- Functional coverage ability for an edge defender
- Comfortable operating from both standing and three-point stances
- Possesses a tight and efficient spin move
- Consistent leg drive through contact
- Physical play style shows up against both the run and pass
Player Summary
Boubacar Traore enters the 2026 season coming off the most productive year of his college career. After battling through an injury-shortened 2024 campaign, Traore returned in 2025 to become one of the focal points of Notre Dame's defensive front. His breakout season resulted in 10 sacks, 31 pressures, and 26 defensive stops, helping establish him as one of the Fighting Irish's most productive defenders.
What stands out most about Traore is not necessarily elite athletic traits, but rather how well-rounded and instinctive he appears on film. He consistently demonstrates an understanding of what offenses are trying to accomplish and rarely looks out of position. Against the run, he does an excellent job utilizing his length to keep offensive tackles from getting into his frame. One of his most effective techniques involves extending his right arm into blockers, creating separation while maintaining vision into the backfield. That patience allows him to diagnose plays before committing and helps him remain effective at the point of attack.
As a pass rusher, Traore wins more with effort, power, and technique than with explosive athleticism. He consistently drives his legs through contact and works through blockers rather than around them. While he does not possess elite bend around the corner, he has developed a compact spin move that allows him to counter inside without wasting movement. His pass-rush approach is efficient and physical, even if it lacks the deep arsenal of counters that some of the nation's top edge rushers possess.
Traore also brings value outside of traditional pass-rush situations. He has shown the ability to drop into coverage assignments, expand into space, and account for running backs in the flat. While he is not the type of athlete teams will ask to mirror receivers all over the field, he displays enough lateral mobility and awareness to execute his responsibilities effectively.
Entering 2026, Traore looks like a player with a solid foundation already in place. He may not be the most explosive edge defender in the country, but his combination of intelligence, physicality, length, tackling ability, and improving production makes him a name worth monitoring as the season unfolds.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 2027 NFL Draft Summer Report on Notre Dame's Boubacar Traore
Continue reading...
