YaYa Diaby A Master At Tackles For Loss
January 31st, 2026
Joins an impressive group.
Is YaYa Diaby a future Hall of Famer? If you think that, you’ve probably had too much to drink.
However, has YaYa shown signs he can be a stud player? Yes he has.
YaYa doesn’t have enough sacks for Joe’s tastes. But he is not awful sacking the quarterback. He just hasn’t reached double-digits yet. Maybe if he ever played in a defense that values an edge rush?
However, YaYa has accomplished something since he came into the league that very few other defensive players have done. And the players who YaYa has joined, it reads like a Who’s Who of future members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Per the Bucs’ media relations staff, there have been seven players since 2008 who have had 12 or more tackles for loss in each of their first three seasons. Those players are Lavonte David, Maxx Crosby, Aaron Donald, Khalil Mack, Micah Parsons and J.J. Watt.
Oh, and YaYa. He’s had 12, 13 and 13 tackles for loss in the three seasons since the Bucs drafted him in 2023.
Joe sure hopes that YaYa’s talents aren’t being burned in a defense that doesn’t highlight sacks from an edge rusher.
January 31st, 2026 at 12:04 am
And he accomplished these feats with inferior assistant coaches overseeing his development. Give Todd Bowles credit for firing everyone who was responsible for the deficient coaching he and his teammates were getting.
January 31st, 2026 at 12:06 am
Really good for a 3rd round pick. There was a time when Crosby didn’t get his sacks too.
January 31st, 2026 at 12:51 am
Listen to pro-scouts for other teams when they’re talking about the Bucs, and who on defense you have to game plan for – and nearly every time what you’ll hear is the usual about Vita and Winfield, then they’ll pretty much always say outside of them, the one guy who stands out on tape is Yaya. If the Bucs played more aggressive coverage and actually got up on receivers, as opposed to playing so soft, Yaya would easily have a lot more sacks. Additionally, with Kancey on the field, the Bucs really don’t have another pass rusher, so teams scheme to take Yaya out of the game. But get someone on the other side who poses at least somewhat of a threat – or if Kancey can stay healthy, and that should, more than anything, lead Yaya to get some big numbers. That’s why the Bucs should resign him now – since next year he’s going to get bid up.