Seydou Traore, a 23‑year‑old London native, became the first graduate of the UK‑based NFL Academy to be drafted when the Miami Dolphins selected him with the 180th overall pick in the fifth round. A 6ft 4in, 244lb tight end, Traore spent five years of college football in the U.S., posting 131 receptions for 1,482 yards and ten touchdowns across 48 games.

Behind the scenes, the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP) delivered another surprise when Philadelphia’s Eagles drafted 21‑year‑old Uar Bernard, a Nigerian personal trainer who has never played organised football, with the 251st overall pick. Bernard, 6ft 4in and 306lb, ran a 4.63‑second 40‑yard dash and hit a 39‑inch vertical in pre‑draft testing, drawing scouts’ attention.

Traore’s arrival marks the third IPP product to enter the NFL, following Australia’s Jordan Mailata and Britain’s Travis Clayton, underscoring the program’s growing influence. Bernard’s draft spot mirrors Mailata’s 2018 path, suggesting the Eagles are willing to mould raw talent into NFL‑ready players. Both selections signal a widening pipeline from international talent to American football rosters and could reshape team strategies in the near term.