> Yaya Diaby talks going from airport employee to NFL linebacker | The One Buc
Yaya Diaby talks going from airport employee to NFL linebacker | The One Buc
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Description
The 10 Tampa Bay team goes one-on-one with a Buccaneers player every week. In this week's edition of "The One Buc," sports reporter David Schiele speaks with outside linebacker, Yaya Diaby.
When the Buccaneers selected Diaby in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, it marked the end of a unique journey for the Atlanta native.
He received zero scholarships to play college football as a senior at North Clayton High School. That led to him taking a job as a wheelchair passenger assistant at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
"I was the guy pushing people [and] getting them from gate to gate," he said. "I ran into a lot of grumpy people. It was hectic, but it was fun though."
It wasn't the type of fun Diaby wanted to have for the rest of his life though. His dream was to play in the NFL.
Diaby enrolled at Georgia Military College and earned a spot on the football team. He recorded 77 sacks in two seasons, earning the interest of recruiters at Louisville. He transferred there and became one of the best players on the Cardinals, playing all 13 games in 2022 and finishing second on the team in tackles for loss and sacks.
His ability to bring down opposing quarterbacks continued in his rookie season. He finished third among NFL rookies in sacks with 7.5. This year, he's third on the team in tackles for loss.