Why Rookie Might Have an 'Incredibly Bright Future'

Fifth-round pick Dante Trader Jr. has made a great first impression on his coaches

Sep 7, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) runs against Miami Dolphins safety Dante Trader Jr. (25) during the first quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

It is not often that an obscure fifth-round pick impresses coaches immediately, but that is exactly what has happened with Miami Dolphins rookie safety Dante Trader Jr.

The fifth-round pick out of Maryland was one of the few bright spots in the disappointing season-opening loss at Indianapolis, not only with the number of the snaps he got on defense but what he did with those 22 snaps.

It wasn't simply Trader's draft status that made his usage surprising, but the fact he missed a lot of training camp because of an undisclosed leg injury.

"Trader had a good week of practice," defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said. " We were a little bit nervous just because of the injuries he's had since he’s been here and exposing him too much. We didn’t want to risk any further injury, but when he went out there, he did some good things, so we’ll continue to get him in the game because he’s earned that right."

Trader's injury kept him sidelined at the beginning of training camp, but he was able to get going during joint practices with the Detroit Lions.

To make matters worse, Trader also appeared on the Week 1 injury report with a hamstring injury, but was a full participant leading up to the matchup with the Indianapolis Colts.

"It’s funny because he hasn’t practiced a ton," Weaver said, "but he’s a guy who’s been in the building and has been working at his craft regardless of time on the field, so there’s a lot of confidence in his ability to go out there and communicate with us."

How Trader Impressed in Week 1

Trader played a total of 22 defensive snaps in Week 1, and was given the second-highest rating among Dolphins defenders with an overall grade of 74.8, according to PFF. Only linebacker Tyrel Dodson was rated higher with a 76.3 grade.

One of the best moments from Trader came during a goal-line stop of Colts running back Jonathan Taylor.

Trader took his time and waited to see the play unfold, shot the gap, and stopped Taylor from getting a rushing touchdown. Weaver also commented on said play, revealing that the young safety might also be in line for a coaching job later in his career due to his instincts.

"He’s a ball guy. I think he has an incredibly bright future," Weaver said. "He’s one of those guys, eventually you’re going to talk about being a coach on the field because he just puts so much time into his craft, so really excited about his trajectory.”

Weaver also refferred to Trader as having "elite instincts," which could mean the rookie is set for a larger role heading into the New England Patriots matchup.

“Elite instincts. Very good quicks and he takes direct angles to the ball," Weaver said.

Trader had three total tackles, two of which were assisted, but he made all three count. This led to his high defensive rating. Only fellow rookie defender Jordan Phillips came close to the same production with three total tackles, two of which were assisted.