Traore gains a place on the Miami Dolphins' 53-man roster and is eligible to play from the start of the 2026 NFL season. The 24-year-old, drafted in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft in April, has survived the reduction from the training camp cohort to the regular-season roster and will begin the campaign under his rookie contract.
Miami signed Traore to a four-year rookie deal worth $4.8m (£3.6m) after selecting him in April, but he still needed to make the cut from a squad that numbered 90 or 91 players in training camp. The team will carry four tight ends among its 53 players, placing Traore into that group and giving him an immediate roster role as the season opens.
Traore's path to the NFL is notable for its international shape. Born in France and raised in London, he played for the London Warriors before joining England's NFL Academy in 2019. The academy exists to help international players secure college scholarships and prepare for professional football, and Traore went on to join Clearwater Academy in Florida, then enrolled at Arkansas State University in 2021. He transferred to Mississippi State University in 2023 and declared for the draft earlier this year.
His selection was announced by former NFL defensive end Efe Obada, who also began his football journey with the London Warriors. Traore's inclusion on Miami's initial roster makes him the first graduate of England's NFL Academy to complete that pathway and reach an active NFL roster.
The roster cut offers a contrast elsewhere in the league, with Northern Irish kicker Charlie Smyth released by the New Orleans Saints after making his NFL debut last season. For Traore, the immediate task is to translate his collegiate development into contributions on game day, with the Dolphins' season-opening roster now set and his rookie deal in place.
