Looking At Josiah Trotter's NFL Case and Potential

Despite spending only one season in Columbia playing under head coach Eli Drinkwitz, linebacker Josiah Trotter managed to improve his draft stock drastically. An impressive statistical season, along with a variety of plays that showed he was ready for the next level, have been a driving force for a rapid increase in draft stock.

A lot of that, according to Trotter, is owed to Drinkwitz and the Missouri football program.

“I feel like coming in and transferring to Missouri was almost like rolling the ball into the NFL,” Trotter told reporters at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.

Trotter comes from a long lineage of professional football players, with his father and older brother finding success at two different time periods. Now, Trotter will look to continue that legacy that his father and brother built, a legacy that was progressed during Trotter's time with the Tigers.

Here's a look at Trotter's college career, his NFL Combine measurements and more pertaining to his future as a pro.

Measurements

Height: 6'1 7/8
Weight: 237
Hand: 10 1/4
Arms: 32 1/4
Wingspan: N/A

Combine Times
Did not participate in any timed drills.

College Career

Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia throws a pass while defended by Missouri Tigers linebacker Josiah Trotter. — Oct 25, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) throws a pass while defended by Missouri Tigers linebacker Josiah Trotter (40) during the first quarter at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Trotter made a name for himself as a Missouri Tiger during his redshirt sophomore season. He finished the year with 84 total tackles, two sacks, seven quarterback hurries and a pass deflection, which was enough to earn him a spot on the All-SEC First team, according to the Associated Press.

According to Pro Football Focus, Trotter was the No. 15-best player in the country when it came to defending the run. His physical playstyle and number of total tackles by the end of the year certainly back that up.

He only had one season of playing before that, doing so with the West Virginia Mountaineers in 2024. He finished that year with 93 total tackles, 0.5 sacks, an interception and two pass deflections. Those numbers earned him more accolades, including being a freshman All-American and the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year, among others.

Trotter is already highly decorated as a player, but has only been in college for three seasons. His first in 2023 was a redshirt year.

In general, Trotter is a younger prospect and will be one of the youngest in the draft. That makes what he's done in two seasons that much more impressive.

“I feel like I'm very mature at my age. I’m high upside being 20 years old,” Trotter said at the combine. “I feel like my best ball is ahead of me and coming in really young. And just having people ahead of me, like my brother (and) my dad, helped me along the way in college and heading to the NFL.”

He made the jump from the Big 12 to the SEC look seemless in a very short amount of time, registering impressive performances against a variety of in-leage teams. He logged eight tackles and a sack in a gritty overtime win against Auburn on the road, along with a 13-tackle outing against Oklahoma on the road. Even in losses, Trotter's presence in the middle of the field on defense was reliable, consistent and physical.

NFL Projection

Trotter's frame and physical nature of playing the linebacker position give him a great baseline of early tools to work with. His production in only two years of playing also aid in that.

There aren't many doubts as of now when it comes to Trotter's ability to defend the run. He's likely one of the best run-defending inside linebackers in this upcoming draft class. The main concern around his game, however, circles around his pass coverage.

Many analysts question his ability to make decisions in zone coverage, with his speed also getting grouped into that. He's a little thicker as a player and that limits some of his agility and awareness when dropping back to cover.

Mock Draft

Over the last few months, Trotter has steadily trended around the second-round range in NFL mock drafts. He was ranked as high as No. 61 overall in late March, but currently sits at No. 63. Some draft analysts have him going in the first round, according to NFL Mock Draft Database.

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