The Miami Dolphins addressed the tight end position again in the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting Seydou Traore 180th overall in the fifth round. Traore spent his first two collegiate seasons at Arkansas State before transferring to Colorado in the winter of 2023 and to Mississippi State later that summer. However, he was forced to sit out 2023 after transferring twice but finished his final two years with the Bulldogs. He had a strong senior campaign, hauling in 35 receptions for 369 yards and a career-high five touchdowns, posting one drop and gaining 220 yards after the catch in 2025.
Since Traore is primarily known for his athleticism, scoring a Relative Athletic Score of 9.42, is not the best blocker, and is considered undersized, he projects as a move “F” tight end rather than a traditional in-line one. In his rookie season, he will compete for a roster spot. Because he was born in France and raised in England, the NFL granted him a roster exemption through the International Pathway Program, meaning he will not count toward the 53-man roster if he makes the cut or against the 16-man practice squad.
The Miami Dolphins inked their international prospect with a 4-year deal
Nov 15, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs tight end Seydou Traore (8) celebrates toward fans after scoring against the Missouri Tigers during the second half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
The Dolphins announced on Thursday that they have signed Seydou Traore to a four-year rookie contract, wrapping up the draft class. Spotracprojects his deal to be worth $4.759 million with a $379,472 signing bonus, prorated at $94,868 per year. Additionally, they project Traore’s cap hits to be $979,000 in 2026, $1.144 million in 2027, $1.259 million in 2028, and $1.374 million in 2029.
Mar 2, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; NFL Network Draft media analyst Lance Zierlein during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
“Traore is a ‘F’ tight end with good athleticism, average size and a need for development. His route-running is unfocused but fixable. He has soft hands and good body control from his background as a goalkeeper. While he has decent vertical speed, he must improve his separation burst out of breaks to uncover against man coverage. He’s not built for in-line blocking but has impressive moments when lead-blocking in space. Traore is a practice squad candidate with enough upside to find a roster spot down the road.”
He projects as an average backup or special-teamer.