Boubacar Traore DL/EDGE Notre Dame |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #5 SUB-POSITION: EDGE RUSHER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.68 seconds (91%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 21.9 DOB: 10/24/2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #5 | |
| SUB-POSITION: EDGE RUSHER | |
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.68 seconds (91%*) | |
| Age: 21.9 DOB: 10/24/2004 | |
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| Overall Rating: |
86.4 / 100
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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74% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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85% |
| Pass Rush: |
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81% |
| Run Defense: |
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81% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Mid
Overall Rank:
#45
Position rank:
#8 (DL)
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| College Games: 21 College Snaps: 630 | ||
ESPN RATING: 82/100
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247 RATING: 94/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah Foskey - Notre Dame |
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90% |
| Isaiah McGuire - Missouri |
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81% |
| Nelson Ceaser - Houston |
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80% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Boubacar Traore grew up watching his older brother Badara reach the NFL as an offensive lineman, and he powered Catholic Memorial to back-to-back Massachusetts state championships, including a perfect 12-0 junior season. Originally a Boston College pledge, he flipped to Notre Dame as a consensus four-star recruit and played in the 2023 All-American Bowl.Early flashes in South Bend included a freshman sack of Heisman winner Caleb Williams and a pick-six against Purdue. Five games into his 2024 sophomore season, a torn left ACL against Louisville ended his year and kept him out of Notre Dame's run to the national championship game.
Traore returned in 2025 to start 11 games, recording 37 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks while earning semifinalist recognition for the College Football Comeback Player of the Year Award. He posted two sacks against NC State in October, added two more against Syracuse in November, and forced a fumble in a September win over Purdue. After the season, he announced his return to Notre Dame for 2026.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Explosive first step off the edge, winning the corner before tackles can set
- Productive in both phases, strong against the run and the pass
- Piled up ten sacks and thirty-one pressures across eleven games
- Closed Syracuse with two sacks and four run stops in one afternoon
- Finishes reliably in space, rare for an edge at his weight
- Stripped a fumble against Purdue while logging four stops at the point
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Light at 247 pounds, giving ground when tackles get into his frame
- Power rush stalls against NFL-caliber length without a counter ready
- Run-game anchor can disappear when asked to two-gap on early downs
- Recovery from a 2024 knee injury is worth tracking on the medical
Scouting Report: Summary
Traore is an undersized, explosive edge who turned in a loud 2025 after a knee injury cut his prior season short, and the production matched the burst: ten sacks and thirty-one pressures strong against both run and pass. He wins the corner before tackles can set their feet, finishes as a tackler better than most edges his weight, and showed up against the run too, closing Syracuse with two sacks and four stops and forcing a fumble against Purdue. The get-off is the trait that travels.The frame is the obvious question. At 247 pounds he gives ground when tackles get their hands inside, the power rush stalls against length when the counter is not ready, and the run anchor can fade when a scheme asks him to hold the point and two-gap. The medical on the knee is also worth confirming. He is a speed rusher who needs a defense that lets him pin his ears back rather than play two-gap technique.
Used correctly, he is a designated pass rusher with starter upside off the edge, the kind of bend-and-burst player who can win on third down from day one. The run-game limitations and the slight frame keep him out of the top tier, but the pass-rush juice and the dual-phase production earn a second-round grade. Bet on the get-off and scheme around the weight.
How other scouting services rate Boubacar Traore (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
48.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
30.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.