A second-round pick and Missouri Mike linebacker who carries a football lineage as the son of four-time Pro Bowler Jeremiah Trotter.
Josiah Trotter brings both bloodlines and production to Tampa Bay's linebacker corps after the Buccaneers selected him in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The son of longtime Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter and brother of NFL linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Josiah wore the green dot as Missouri's defensive signal-caller in his lone season with the Tigers.
Path to the league
A four-star recruit out of St. Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia who played in the All-American Bowl, Trotter signed with West Virginia, redshirting in 2023 after a knee injury before breaking out in 2024. He transferred to Missouri in December 2024, started at Mike linebacker in 2025, and was selected by Tampa Bay in the second round, 46th overall, of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
As a redshirt freshman at West Virginia in 2024, Trotter started strong with 92 tackles, four tackles for loss, an interception and three pass breakups, earning Big 12 Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year honors and a Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award semifinalist nod. He wore the green dot as a first-year starter at Missouri in 2025 and led the Tigers in tackles.
2025 season recap
In his only season at Missouri, Trotter served as the Tigers' full-time Mike linebacker and defensive signal-caller, leading the team in tackles and earning First-team All-SEC recognition. The performance cemented him as one of the top linebacker prospects available in the 2026 draft, where Tampa Bay took him in round two.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Josiah Trotter
- ESPN: Josiah Trotter
- Buccaneers.com: Josiah Trotter NFL Draft profile
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- Missouri
- Hometown
- Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Age
- 21
- Status
- active
