Yaya Diaby, Yasir Abduallah Louisville vs. Pitt 10-22-2022 Photo by William Caudill, TheCrunchZone.com

Yaya Diaby, Yasir Abdullah & Kei’Trel Clark Selected in 2023 NFL Draft

Mark BlankenbakerApril 29, 2023

Yaya Diaby

University of Louisville defensive lineman Yaya Diaby was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with No. 82 pick in the third round of the National Football League Draft on Friday.

Diaby is the 154^th UofL selection all-time in school history and the first pick since wide receiver Tutu Atwell was a second-round selection by the Los Angeles Rams in 2021.

A native of Atlanta, Ga., Diaby is the first defensive lineman to be drafted since defensive end Treyvon Young was a sixth-round selection by the Rams during the 2018 draft. Diaby is the 15^th player in school history to be drafted in the third round.

A third team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honoree in 2022, Diaby finished second on the team with 9.0 sacks and 14.0 tackles for loss. He closed the year with 37 tackles and registered a sack in eight of 13 games, including a season best 2.0 against Florida State and 1.5 versus Central Florida and Cincinnati in the Fenway Bowl.

Diaby’s play upfront was instrumental in the Cardinals finishing first in the nation with 3.85 sacks per game.

As a junior in 2021, Diaby registered a career best 39 tackles and 1.5 sacks in guiding the Cardinals to a postseason appearance in the First Responder Bowl.

A three-year starter for the Cardinals, Diaby finished his career with 94 tackles, 10.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss.

Yasir Abdullah

University of Louisville linebacker Yasir Abdullah was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with No. 136 pick in the fifth round of the National Football League Draft on Saturday.

Abdullah is the 155^th UofL selection all-time in school history and the first linebacker drafted since Lorenzo Mauldin was a third round draftee by the New York Jets in 2015.

The Cards have two selections in the draft for the first time since wide receivers Tutu Atwell (2^nd) and Dez Fitzpatrick (4^th) were taken in the 2021 draft.

A native of Miami, Fla., Abdullah earned first team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors and was runner-up for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Coming off the edge, Abdullah led the ACC in sacks with 9.0 and was fourth in tackles for loss with a team best 14.5. Nationally, he ranked 15^th in sacks and 23^rd in tackles for loss.

A starter in 13 games, Abdullah finished the season with a career best 63 tackles, forced four fumbles and registered a pair of interceptions. He picked up a season best 2.5 sacks in a home loss to Florida State and also forced a pair of fumbles against Clemson.

As a junior in 2021, Abdullah was tabbed a second team All-ACC honoree after recording 10.0 sacks, the most by a UofL player since 2015. He closed the year with 61 tackles and tied for 12^th nationally with 17.5 tackles for loss and 19^th in sacks.

Setting a school record with 61 games played, Abdullah recorded 208 career tackles, 43.0 tackles for loss and 23.5 sacks. He also closed his stellar tenure with seven forced fumbles and three interceptions.

Kei’Trel Clark

University of Louisville cornerback Kei’Trel Clark was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with No. 180 pick in the sixth round of the National Football League Draft on Saturday.

Clark is the 156^th UofL selection all-time in school history and the third player taken in this year’s draft, joining Yaya Diaby, a third-round selection and Yasir Abdullah, who was taken in the fifth round.

The three players selected were the most since four were drafted in the 2018 NFL Draft.

A transfer from Liberty, Clark played three seasons for the Cards, earning All-Atlantic Coast Conference accolades in all three seasons – two of which were second team accolades.

As a senior in 2022, Clark earned third team honors after finishing with a career best 51 tackles and had one interception, which was returned 46 yards for a touchdown.

In 2021, Clark totaled 41 tackles and a career best three interceptions despite playing in only eight games after tearing his ACL in a loss to NC State.

In his first season after transferring, Clark was a second team all-league selection after finishing with 36 tackles and ranking 12^th nationally with 11 passes defended. He picked off his first career pass in a home win over Syracuse.