Seahawks Host Ascending Linebacker Josiah Trotter on Top 30 Visit

Mike Macdonald and the Seattle Seahawks proved this past season that defenses still win championships. Macdonald called a masterful game during Super Bowl LX, making life miserable on Drake Maye and the New England Patriots offense all game.

That victory gave the franchise its second championship, and has them looking for more. With Macdonald in charge, there's no denying that they will continue to focus on defense going forward.

During the lead-up to the 2026 NFL draft, several defenders have emerged as potential fits including Missouri's Josiah Trotter, with Field Gulls' Alexandre Castro calling Trotter a potential fit in Round 2. While we don't know for sure if Seattle is willing to take Trotter that early, they are showing interest with Arye Pulli reporting that Trotter is in Seattle for a top 30 visit on Saturday.

Josiah Trotter NFL bloodlines, future projection

Missouri Tigers linebacker Josiah Trotter reacts during the first quarter against the Oklahoma Sooners. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Trotter is the son of former All-Pro linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, who spent 11 years in the NFL. Eight of those seasons were with the Philadelphia Eagles, where Josiah's brother, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., has been playing for the past two years.

The younger Trotter is expected to go higher in the draft than his brother did, with Jeremiah Jr. being selected in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL draft out of Clemson. Josiah is considered an ascending linebacker with a high football IQ and strong leadership.

His overall body of work has been enough to impress NFL.com draft guru Lance Zierlein, who says he should be a "productive, long-time starter in the middle." He does, however, believe any team that selects Trotter needs to account for a shortcoming in coverage, which is something Seattle knows how to do.

Seahawks expected to target a LB in 2026 NFL draft

Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Seattle is expected to add depth to the linebacker position at some point during the upcoming NFL draft. We recently looked at Kyle Louis as a possibility, with the Pitt product offering excellent versatility which would be ideal in the Seahawks' scheme.

Since Macdonald took over as the head coach in 2024, Seattle has taken just one linebacker in the draft, selecting Tyrice Knight out of Texas El-Paso in the fourth-round of the 2024 NFL draft. For that reason, it would be surprising to see them go through this class without adding more to the position, with Trotter standing out as one of their likely targets.

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