Colts Officially Have Josiah Trotter Locked into Their Radar

The Indianapolis Colts must use the power of the NFL Combine and draft to procure a fresh linebacker talent to bolster Lou Anarumo's defense.

In fact, Chris Ballard should be eyeing a rookie linebacker who could start in September beside Zaire Franklin. Or, at the least, get valuable reps to develop into a starter later in the season.

It's been reported by Devin Jackson at the Philadelphia Inquirer that Missouri linebacker Josiah Trotter had a formal interview with Indianapolis.

Given the dire state of the position for the Colts, this makes sense to leave no stone unturned.

#Missouri LB Josiah Trotter, son of former Eagle Jeremiah Trotter and younger brother of current Eagles Lb Jeremiah Trotter Jr., had 18 formal interviews with teams. Has one with the #Saints later today, and others with the #Cardinals, #Colts, #Broncos, #Cowboys, #Bucs, #Ravens,… pic.twitter.com/6mfqBMxKOS
— Devin Jackson (@RealD_Jackson) February 25, 2026

To make it brief, Indianapolis' linebackers were a weak point for Anarumo's first year commanding the defense.

Zaire Franklin is the staple at the second level, but he took huge steps back when discussing efficiency. Following was the signing of former Cincinnati Benglas and Las Vegas Raiders linebacker, Germaine Pratt.

While Franklin and Pratt stuffed the stat sheets, they still didn't give enough confidence to Indianapolis to pass up a possible draft selection like Missouri's Trotter.

Many will say the Colts need a cover linebacker, and while that would help the defensive case, it's not a 100 percent requirement with safety/linebacker hybrid Hunter Wohler returning after a season-ending Lisfranc injury.

If Trotter is sitting there when Indianapolis picks at number 47, there's a serious chance that Ballard runs the card up to put him in a Colts uniform.

Missouri linebacker Josiah Trotter (black and yellow uniform) runs down a ball-carrier from behind. — Sep 20, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Brian Rowe Jr. (18) runs the ball as Missouri Tigers linebacker Josiah Trotter (40) defends during the first half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Trotter won't shock the world with his coverage qualities, but will pose more of a threat in that regard than Franklin did for Indianapolis in 2025.

The Tiger had a great final year with the program. Through 12 games, he stacked 84 tackles, 2.0 sacks, a pass breakup, and a blistering 13.0 tackles for loss.

While Trotter can get better in pass defense, he truly excels at picking the right angles to attack ball carriers and is a threat in run defense (89.2 grade per Pro Football Focus).

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Missouri linebacker Josiah Trotter (white and black uniform) celebrates with his teammates after a big play. — Nov 22, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Missouri Tigers linebacker Josiah Trotter (40) reacts during the first quarter against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Trotter only saw two years in FBS, but even when he played with the West Virginia Mountaineers in 2024, he still looked excellent.

Before joining the Tigers, Trotter logged 92 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, an interception, and 56 assisted tackles in 2024 with the Mountaineers.

In short, this would be an excellent addition to the Colts' defense if the squad likes what they gather from meeting with Trotter and can draft him come late April.

Indianapolis still needs a starter-grade defensive end, as well as depth at defensive tackle and safety. However, another season of underwhelming linebacker play can't be sustained with how much is on the line for this team.

It makes sense that Indianapolis is intrigued by Trotter, and the scouts will have their eyes glued to his combine performance on Thursday, February 26th.

In a deep linebacker draft, Trotter still stands out as a potential solution for the Colts, so it will be interesting to see how far this meeting can take the dynamic Missouri defender in Indianapolis' eyes.