Josiah
Trotter.
Josiah
Trotter.
Missouri· 6'2"· 232 lb
"Downhill thumper off-ball linebacker with elite reads and NFL bloodlines; the Trotter last name is real but the tape sells itself as a Day 2 three-down MIKE with plus tackling and average recovery speed."Pre-draft read
He aligns as a stack MIKE and plays with aggression between the tackles. He demonstrates pre-snap recognition, reading guards and beating blockers to the spot on inside zone and gap-scheme runs. His take-on is physical; he attacks the near number of pulling guards with a compact strike, keeps his outside arm free, and stacks on contact effectively.
In coverage, he mans up backs and tight ends in short-hook and low-hole zones, showing good spatial awareness. He is a quality green-dog blitzer whose timing off delayed pressures allows him to capitalize on interior windows. His range is average, making him vulnerable when asked to run east-west or match vertical crossers. His tackling technique emphasizes a low-target, ball-out finish, which often results in forced fumbles.
Josiah Trotter would fit best in a 4-3 one-gap attacking front that emphasizes downhill play and run-stuffing inside linebackers.
Immediate three-down MIKE with special teams captain intangibles, offering a high floor and reliable run defense, with a ceiling as an emotional anchor of the defense.
A Fangio two-high defense that requires linebackers to have expansive lateral range and cover significant ground in zone drops would diminish his effectiveness significantly.
Trotter projects as a physical, instinctual stack linebacker whose pre-snap recognition and downhill playmaking make him a strong fit for run-heavy defensive schemes, despite average long speed.
Josiah Trotter Is A TERRIFIC DOWNHILL LB! | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Game film cut-up of Josiah Trotter's Missouri tape.
Josiah Trotter Highlights | Tampa Bay Buccaneers Linebacker
Game film cut-up of Josiah Trotter's Missouri tape.
Josiah Trotter | WELCOME TO TAMPA!
Game film cut-up of Josiah Trotter's Missouri tape.
This prospect is a downhill thumper at linebacker, projected as an immediate three-down MIKE with strong special-teams potential. A team investing in him is buying a player who brings significant emotional leadership and consistency to the middle of the defense, ready to contribute from day one due to his advanced processing and physical play style.
He entered Missouri as a decorated transfer, earning Freshman All-American honors and becoming a Butkus semifinalist in subsequent seasons. His role was central to Missouri's defense, highlighted by a dominant 15-tackle, 2-TFL performance against #6 Alabama, a game-changing effort that solidified his standing as a Day 2 prospect. Prior to that, his production included over 220 tackles, 24 TFL, and 6 forced fumbles across three seasons.
Evaluators generally placed him in the 40–60 range, with primary concerns revolving around his long speed and vertical coverage range. Despite these athletic limitations, his high football IQ and reliable play ensured he remained a sought-after prospect. He ultimately went #46 overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, signaling confidence in his ability to be a foundational piece.
- 01
Elite pre-snap processor
Reads guard/back combos, anticipates run direction and beats blockers to the spot; the diagnostic tape jumps off the screen.
- 02
Physical take-on for the frame
Attacks pulling guards with a compact strike, keeps his outside arm free and stacks on contact rather than getting washed.
- 03
Coached, ball-out tackling
Low-target form, wraps and drives through the hip; six career forced fumbles are a product of technique, not luck.
- 04
Green-dog and delayed blitz timer
Times interior pressures beautifully off A-gap looks; a real third-down weapon Bowles-style defenses will use immediately.
- 05
Captain intangibles and bloodlines
Team captain at Missouri, brother Jeremiah Jr. already in the league, coach's-son football IQ that shows up in checks and gap alignment.
- 01
Average long speed
Can be leaked on running east-west across the field and matching crossers vertically; wheel routes by backs are a live concern.
- 02
Coverage ceiling is capped
Best in short-hook and low-hole zones; not the guy you want traveling with athletic tight ends on isolation looks up the seam.
- 03
Arm length flag
Below-30" arms limit reach on stack-and-shed reps against interior linemen who get to his frame first.
- 04
Playmaking splash is limited
Reliable tackler more than a game-wrecker; sacks and interceptions have been rare across three college seasons.
| Yr | Team | G | Tkl | Sk | Int | PD | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | West Virginia | 12 | 93 | 0.5 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | Missouri | 12 | 84 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Career | — | 24 | 177 | 2.5 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
A dash means the figure is not published by a source we trust — never a zero we invented.
Physical stack linebacker with plus IQ and take-on who fits as a three-down MIKE with a green-dog role and a capped coverage ceiling.
Recognition-first MIKE whose processing and tackling age into a decade-long starter and captain even without elite athletic testing.
Reliable veteran signal-caller MIKE who wins with recognition and tackling but is a coverage liability that scheme has to help.
Everything above is the pre-draft evaluation. This section is what actually happened — updated year over year.
Pre-draft context — Trotter's stock climbed steadily rather than in a single senior-year spike. West Virginia's freshman-of-the-year tape got him on lists, the 2024 Butkus semifinal cemented him as a real Day 2 name, and the Missouri transfer added SEC opponents to a resume that already had bloodline capital. The 2025 Alabama game — 15 tackles, 2 TFL, forced fumble — was the film every room quoted when justifying a Round 2 grade. The evaluation debate all spring was athletic ceiling vs. floor certainty; teams that ran the tape came away with the same read.
NFL fit — Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tampa Bay wanted a MIKE for its post-veteran succession plan, and Trotter is a plug-and-play fit for the way the front is built — a physical run-down thumper who can green-dog blitz on obvious pass downs and hand off vertical routes to safety help. Bucs used the pick from the Broncos-Chargers-Ravens shuffle and slotted him as a Day 1 starter next to David for as long as the veteran keeps playing, with a clear succession plan behind him. Special-teams captaincy usage in Weeks 1–4 was the tell.
Retrospective — Too early to grade the pick, but the evaluation was straightforward and the fit is clean. If the coverage limitations hold up, Trotter still profiles as a five-year starting MIKE and captain — the Bobby Wagner-lite outcome that made him worth Round 2 in a class thin on true off-ball linebackers. The bloodline noise was always secondary; the tape was the reason.