Like his father, the linebacker intends to defy the odds in the NFL with a fairly complete profile.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. – Linebacker – 21 years old – Junior – Clemson
Height: 1m83
Weight: 104 kg
Stats 2023: 12 matches, 88 tackles including 15 for loss, 5 and a half sacks, 5 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions, a Pick-6.
Estimated draft position: 2nd round
NFL Comparison: Eric Kendricks
He is one of the many “sons of” this 2024 class. Offspring of Jeremiah Trotter Sr., former legend of the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2000s, Junior seems to confirm like many others before him that the apple rarely falls far from the TREE. A major recruit coming out of high school, arriving with great fanfare at Clemson, a regular national champion program in the 2010s, the linebacker was quick to stand out and become an essential pawn in one of the most feared defenses in the first university division. Vocal, versatile, he stands out in a linebacker class that is more contested than other positions. What makes him such an intriguing prospect right now?
Strong points
- Vision and instincts
- Physical tackling
- Comfortable in zone coverage
What stands out most with “JTJ” is his ability to read the game, a crucial element when playing a position like linebacker. Endowed with excellent instincts and speed of execution, the New Jersey native can regularly invite himself into the opposing pocket to annihilate any run (15 tackles for loss in 2023, almost 30 over the last two seasons) or even grab the quarterback for the sack when blitzing (13 in total at university).
Once the diagnosis is established, Trotter Jr. is a real bull in small spaces, capable of stopping his opponent in his tracks with an intensity in tackling that will not be too much for professionals, allowing him to stand out in defense but also potentially on special teams.
Finally, the little extra of the person concerned is undoubtedly his ability to pick up to cover. Not everything is perfect in this area, but in zone coverage and anticipation, the Tiger can be formidable and capable of evolving at the same time on three attempts at the higher level.
Weak points
- Template that serves it
- Intermittent tackler
- More “active” than “passive”
A complete profile but one factor that can work against him in the eyes of scouts: his size. At less than 1 meter 85, Trotter Jr. is undoubtedly to be polished on the cover, especially in man-to-man, where his statistics are quite chaotic in 2023 (27 receptions allowed out of 31). This wouldn't be too detrimental if the tackling technique was perfect.
However, on the run stop, the Clemson player never seemed to progress statistically (more than 16% of missed tackles last year). Beyond the tackle itself, some criticize him for his size being too soft to be able to annihilate a lineman who is stalling or his length of arm being able to play tricks on him against powerful runners capable of breaking tackles.
Possible destinations
Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona Cardinals
Sixteen years ago, Jeremiah Trotter Sr. was selected in the third round of the draft, mainly due to his profile being too small for the NFL at the time. Comparison is not right, but his son, with a more “frail” size on paper, could suffer from the same clichés when joining the league.
It must be said that if his football IQ is indisputable, with reading and sense of the game above the rest, the arsenal available to exploit him can still leave one skeptical. Capable of covering, but not necessarily in all situations, intense in tackling, but potentially in difficulty facing big guys, lively on the ground but with relative speed in pursuit in large spaces… Simply dangerous when he is at the initiative of a movement, but subject to risk when it is necessary to react and improvise.
So many elements which make this player a certainly attractive project but which will undoubtedly require a little time to be fully operational in an NFL second curtain.
