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Boubacar Traore, Notre Dame 6-4, 250
He hasn't put up stellar pressure numbers this season but he does have 6 sacks, towards the top end of the sacks list.
He has a run defense grade of 78 and a pass rush grade of 75. His pass rush win rate isn't the best at 14% but he's one of the best EDGEs in the league for TFLs and run stuffs with a top percentile 11.1% run stop rate.
Scheme versatility gives him multiple paths to success at the next level. In odd fronts, he profiles as a stand-up outside linebacker who can drop into coverage or attack off the edge with that explosive first step. Even-front teams will love his ability to reduce inside from a wide alignment and create interior pressure with stunts. The medical evaluation becomes paramount here - teams need confidence that the ACL is fully healed and won't rob him of that elite burst that makes everything else work. His frame suggests he could carry 260 pounds without sacrificing much athleticism, which would help address the power concerns that show up against the run.
The projection lands somewhere between late third round and middle of the fifth, depending on medical clearance and pre-draft testing. A strong combine showing could vault him into Day 2 consideration, especially if he tests as the elite athlete his forty time suggests. Patient teams with established pass rush depth will value his upside and give him the runway to develop proper hand timing and a more diverse rush repertoire. The tools are absolutely there for him to become a quality NFL starter - the question becomes whether a team believes they can unlock that potential quickly enough to justify the investment. Given his work ethic during the ACL recovery and the flashes of dominance when healthy, betting on Traore feels like the kind of calculated risk that smart front offices make in the middle rounds.
He hasn't put up stellar pressure numbers this season but he does have 6 sacks, towards the top end of the sacks list.
He has a run defense grade of 78 and a pass rush grade of 75. His pass rush win rate isn't the best at 14% but he's one of the best EDGEs in the league for TFLs and run stuffs with a top percentile 11.1% run stop rate.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Freakish first step quickness that puts tackles on their heels immediately - times the snap count like a veteran despite limited experience
- Those 80-inch arms* aren't just for show - uses them to control the width of rushes and create separation in run game
- Bend and flexibility through contact reminds you of a 220-pound speed rusher trapped in a 247-pound frame with room to grow
- Natural feel for timing stunts and games - slips through A-gap like a ghost when looping inside on T-E exchanges
- Hand technique took a massive leap forward in limited 2024 action - mixing cross-chops with well-timed long-arm moves to create lanes
- Backside pursuit angles show elite closing burst - runs down stretch plays that most college edges have no business sniffing
- Inside counter game developing nicely - sells speed rush hard before spinning back inside to catch guards leaning the wrong way
- Recovery speed to bail to the flat shows versatility - not just a hand-in-dirt rusher when coordinators need zone coverage help
Scouting Report: Summary
The tape tells two different stories with Traore - one of tantalizing athletic traits that flash first-round potential, and another of a raw prospect who needs seasoning before contributing at the next level. His combination of length, burst, and bend creates a foundation that defensive coordinators dream about molding into a double-digit sack threat. When he strings moves together and keeps his pad level low, you see shades of the better speed rushers currently terrorizing NFL quarterbacks. The concern isn't talent - it's the accumulation of technique, experience, and functional strength needed to handle 325-pound tackles who've been pass protecting since Traore was in middle school.Scheme versatility gives him multiple paths to success at the next level. In odd fronts, he profiles as a stand-up outside linebacker who can drop into coverage or attack off the edge with that explosive first step. Even-front teams will love his ability to reduce inside from a wide alignment and create interior pressure with stunts. The medical evaluation becomes paramount here - teams need confidence that the ACL is fully healed and won't rob him of that elite burst that makes everything else work. His frame suggests he could carry 260 pounds without sacrificing much athleticism, which would help address the power concerns that show up against the run.
The projection lands somewhere between late third round and middle of the fifth, depending on medical clearance and pre-draft testing. A strong combine showing could vault him into Day 2 consideration, especially if he tests as the elite athlete his forty time suggests. Patient teams with established pass rush depth will value his upside and give him the runway to develop proper hand timing and a more diverse rush repertoire. The tools are absolutely there for him to become a quality NFL starter - the question becomes whether a team believes they can unlock that potential quickly enough to justify the investment. Given his work ethic during the ACL recovery and the flashes of dominance when healthy, betting on Traore feels like the kind of calculated risk that smart front offices make in the middle rounds.
Boubacar Traore Defensive Line - EDGE Notre Dame | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Rating: 82.5 Rank: #30 Forty: 4.68 The tape tells two different stories with Traore - one of tantalizing athletic traits that flash first-round potential, and another of a raw prospec...
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