The Player
- Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
- College: Clemson
- Height: 6’0”
- Weight: 228 lbs.
- Age: 21 (December 24, 2002)
- Arm: 31 ½”
- Hand: 9 ¼”
- 3-Cone Drill: 7.13
- 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.4
- Bench Press: 21
High School
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he grew up watching his dad play for his hometown, the Philadelphia Eagles. His dad played 12 years as a linebacker in the NFL and was a two-time All-Pro LB for the Eagles. Following in the footsteps of his father’s legendary shadow in Philadelphia wasn’t easy, but he made a name for himself early. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. attended St. Joseph’s High School and helped win back-to-back 6A State Championships. 247Sports ranked him as a four-star recruit, the 44th player nationally, the sixth LB, and the second overall prospect from Pennsylvania in the 2021 class. He received invites to play in both All-American games and committed to Clemson.
College
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. would only see 59 snaps as a true freshman for the Clemson Tigers. He collected 15 stops and a sack in minimal action. That would not stop him from a historic sophomore season in which he was named to the second-team AP All-America and second-team All-ACC teams. Trotter Jr. would lead the team in tackles. He also tied for the team lead in sacks in his first year as a starter. The Clemson linebacker was only one of three players in 2022 to record 13 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, and an interception return for a touchdown. He would also set an ACC Championship record with three sacks.
In his Junior season, he was named a Butkus Award Finalist, 2nd team All-American, and first team All-ACC. He would record his second straight season of 85+ tackles and 5+ sacks. He led the team in tackles for loss and returned an interception for a touchdown in his second straight season. Trotter Jr. finished top 10 in the ACC in solo tackles, tackles for loss, and interceptions returned for touchdowns. He accomplished this in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Strengths
Football IQ
If you are too young to have seen Jeremiah Trotter Sr. play, you will realize quickly after watching a highlight video where his son got his technique. The two look nearly identical in form, presnap in the middle of the defense. His dad coached up the Clemson linebacker, and it’s a thing of beauty to watch him play the same position as he embarks on his NFL journey. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is the top-graded coverage linebacker (91.8) in this year’s class, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s in the top three in all coverage grade metrics for linebackers entering the 2024 NFL Draft.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. plays with the instincts and anticipation of the son of a former All-Pro. He is routinely one step ahead of the defense. Trotter Jr. sees the game very well and rarely seems to panic. His short-area explosiveness and tackling form are beautiful to watch. You can see how he racked up over 160+ tackles in his last two seasons combined. He’s rarely in the wrong spot and plays within the scheme of his defense exceptionally well. He excels at the mental part of playing the LB position, which, combined with his physical tools, makes him a very intriguing dynasty asset.
Pass Rushing Ability
Now for the fun stuff: as an IDP manager, having an every-down linebacker who can put up high sack totals is a plus. Lucky for you, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is outstanding in this area. He’s racked up 13 sacks over his collegiate career. One of my favorite ways he does it is with his footwork. It’s rare to see a player dodge and slip blocks as well as he does from the LB position. When you turn on the tape, you see him time and time again, making blockers look like statues. He makes shedding blocks with his athleticism look easy. Now, mind you, he is not the fastest player, but he is extremely good at setting up plays. He often uses his eyes and footwork to make players look silly.
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On this play, he shows blitz and loops around with a clear path to the quarterback. He uses his instincts and quick diagnosis of the play to pass on the straight line to the QB. He recognizes he’s still in the pocket and quickly anticipates the QB escaping to the outside. In a split second, Trotter is on him to create a sack for a big loss of yardage. This is just beautiful football from a blitzing LB; you can tell he studies the tape and combines that with his anticipation. This is a player that will be fun to watch at the next level. He’s succeeded at every level of football he’s played.
Development Opportunities
Run Defense
There are some concerns with Trotter’s size and strength that he will struggle at this part of the game at the next level. He has had games where he has tried to use his footwork to get around blocks and, in doing so, created some big running lanes. His lack of size and overall strength could be concerning when challenging blockers at the NFL level. The best every-down linebackers can take on a blocker and still make the tackle. Trotter has proved he can do that in college, but the talent discrepancy will be much larger at the next level. He ranks sixth in the class in PFF’s run defense grade (80.7) and run-stop rate (10.2%).
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Physical Strength
The above play highlights an issue I could see at the next level. I originally had two areas for development: run defense and physical strength. However, this clip sums them up perfectly. At the NFL level, linebackers are routinely challenged in the power run game, with a fullback or TE working downhill to knock them off the ball.
I would like to see Trotter improve his physicality. He plays with a low enough balance and has great footwork, so plays like this should be less common. This year’s Notre Dame game was a very good example. He started the game just getting blown off the ball, resulting in two big runs for the Notre Dame offense. He settled in and finished that game with a season-high of 11 tackles, but those bad run fits were very noticeable when you watch the film. There are very few perfect prospects out there, but at the end of the day, this guy is a good football player and has a very bright future in the NFL.
Landing Spot
The lack of depth at the linebacker position hurt the chances for some of the playoff teams last season. The ability to have young, productive linebackers gives a defense an advantage. Those rare linebackers that play all three downs and call the plays for the defense are hard to find. It remains to be seen if Jeremiah Trotter Jr. can be that type of player at the next level. The Clemson LB will likely be a target in the third or fourth round of the NFL Draft. I like the fit with the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Seattle Seahawks as favorable spots. The hometown Philadelphia Eagles appear to be the easy pick, but they have addressed the position more through free agency than I would have expected. The spots with Pittsburgh and Seattle give him a more immediate chance to learn the system and play in 2024 or early 2025.
Fantasy Outlook
The more knowledgeable IDP managers tend to view the linebacker position as being like the running back position. That means you can never have too much depth at the position. It’s unlikely that your perceived starting LB group in your Week 1 lineup will all be left standing by the end of the season. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. has fairly safe value as an IDP asset because of his consistent tackle floor at the college level. He is a player that, if given consistent snaps, should produce fantasy points for you. As an IDP manager, you cannot ignore his 19 impact plays and two defensive touchdowns over his last two seasons. If he’s even close to being as productive as in college, he will be a valuable fantasy scorer at the LB position.
The Wrap-up
There might not be the hype around a stud linebacker in the 2024 class, but overall, it’s a potentially strong group. There’s a need for a youth movement at the position, and I’m hopeful it can get started with this year’s draft. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is just one of many linebackers the team will break down this off-season. As always, we aim to give you all the information you need to make the best decisions when you’re on the clock in your IDP rookie drafts.
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