The University of Utah has some huge shoes to fill with the departure of Utah All-America and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, Devin Lloyd. The Utes weren’t necessarily looking for help through the NCAA Transfer Portal at the linebacker position. However, Florida linebacker Mohamoud Diabate saw a golden opportunity to develop his game for the next level, and Utah saw a productive player with some similarities to Lloyd.

The 6-foot-3, 227 pound Diabate, is a player who is noted for his fast and physical style of play, combined with a high football IQ. Just last season with Florida, he recorded 89 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.

The Alabama native stepped on the Utah campus early to get acclimated, build his relationships with the team and get to know the playbook. Unfortunately, after undergoing surgery in Florida before coming to Salt Lake, Diabate’s practice time is limited but he’s maximizing his time to make the most of the transition.

“One of the reasons I wanted to enroll early at whatever school I was going to go to so I could mesh with the guys,” he said. “You want to know who you’re communicating with out there and who you’re going to war with.”

When he knew he wanted to test the waters as a transfer, he made sure he was going to a program he knew he could make an immediate impact and filled the void at the need for linebacker. Because of this, he did the necessary research and reached out to the Utes.

“I wanted to go to a better situation than I was currently in; a team that could contend for a championship in their division. There was only a certain number of teams on that list,” said Diabate. “ When it came down to that, I had to identify which one of those elite teams had a need at linebacker. Devin Lloyd coming out as one of the top linebackers and the way they use him, I saw an opportunity there. I had to make a business decision to put myself in that position.”

In continuing his search for the right fit, picking a program that could utilize his talents to benefit him and the team was a key factor in his decision. It’s apparent though, that Utah’s recent success of three conference championship games in four years, one Pac-12 title, and the recent Rose Bowl appearance easily put Utah over the top.

“Which one of those teams are bringing back a lot of people? Which one of those teams have a chance to repeat the same success? When I looked at it, a lot of the core of the team was coming back.

On defense, they’re getting back a lot except for inside linebacker and pass rusher,” continued Diabate. “Those are two things I feel I do exceptionally well. I felt like this was a good decision. Utah has been dominant out here in the Pac-12 and we expect to do the same thing. That’s why I came out here. … I’m really impressed with the program that coach Whittingham has built – the culture, the foundation … It’s definitely a place I’m really excited to be.”

Overall in his career with Florida Diabate has recorded 176 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, six sacks, three forced fumbles, two pass deflections and one interception.

“I feel that I’ll fit in multiple places. I pride myself in versatility, being able to do different jobs, whether they be rush or cover from different places,” he said. “ I can play in different places. In my career I’ve been able to play so many different positions in the front seven. Now, I’m ready to do whatever. I’m ready to work with coach Scalley, coach Swan and coach Whitt and find whatever recipe is best for success.”

Diabate’s playing style should fit well in Utah’s defensive schemes.

“Fast, physical and aggressive – that’s three things that I pride myself on. Speed, getting wherever I want to go to be fast and physical,” he said. “ Having an aggressiveness and sharing that energy with the rest of the linebacking corps and the defense. That’s what fans should look for.”

Moving from Florida to Utah definitely has been a little bit of a culture shift, but he’s happy with his decision and he’s enjoying the transition.

“Obviously it’s a different culture compared to Florida and Alabama. It’s a different climate, for sure. But overall I’ve been adjusting well,” he said. “ That’s why I felt comfortable coming out here because I know my intelligence level and how I’m able to communicate with people. I feel comfortable that I’d be able to mesh in any locker room.”

While Diabate played a variety of roles for the Florida Gators, he rarely was used as a pass rusher, but has the ability to do so. Moving forward, he’ll have more opportunities to do so on one of the top defenses in the country.

In the end, Diabate knows what he needs to focus on to make it successfully to the NFL. As for the Utes, they needed a player who could be a plug-n-play for Lloyd. Come the 2022 season, it could prove to be the perfect match.