Trailblazer Traore's draft pick a big win for NFL Academy

LONDON, May 1 : When Seydou Traore's name was called by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the NFL Draft last week, it was music to the ears of Kris Durham, the former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver who now heads the UK-based NFL Academy.

South London-raised Traore was one of the original intake at the Academy in 2019 and is proof that an unconventional pathway to the NFL is possible.

"Seydou's paved a path for the future generations and the generations after that," Durham told Reuters.

The Academy was created to unearth and polish international talent ready to be fed into the American college system and for Traore, a promising soccer goalkeeper, it was a natural fit.

After moving to the Clearwater Academy in Florida for his final school year, he carved out an impressive college football career as a tight end, firstly with Arkansas State and then the Mississippi State Bulldogs where last season he made 35 receptions and five touchdowns.

Traore admits it was a surreal moment when he was selected by the Dolphins while for Durham, who has managed the NFL Academy since 2025, it was a moment of validation.

"It's just an incredible story that shows it doesn't matter where you come from, you can be an international kid and make it to the NFL," he said.

Traore was with Premier League club Fulham's development programme as a goalie before falling for American football, first on TV, and then as a player with London Warriors, playing in front of sparse crowds.

INTANGIBLE THINGS

At 6ft 3ins and 244 pounds, Traore's explosive athleticism, ball-tracking and catching skills all caught the eye. But what really marks him out, says Durham, is his mindset.

"He's always had the measurables, the size, the speed, the hands. But it's the