As the college football season heads toward its finish, FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL Draft scouting reports before the Combine in March. Here’s a look at Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

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2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (LB – Clemson)

6’0″ – 230 lbs.

Background:

Father of the same name was a great pro linebacker, mostly for the Eagles. Four-star recruit who appeared in all thirteen games as a freshman, finishing with 22 tackles, then took over a starting job in 2022 and had an outstanding year of 89-13.5-6.5 with two interceptions. Is currently having an almost identical junior year.

Positives:

Has pro bloodlines, and has had two excellent seasons for a major program. Has added about twenty pounds of bulk since arriving on campus. Really brings it on a snap-to-snap basis, with a tough and physical temperament. Reads keys quickly to flow to the ball. Strong for his size, with impressive contact balance. Gets good extension and is active with his hands to prevent people from getting into his pads. Takes on blocks with knee-bend and a stable base, showing a solid anchor.

Has power in his hands to shed blocks and get to the ball. Shows good suddenness/short-area quickness to slip past opponents and get to the ball. Closes fast when he finds a lane. Some pop to his tackles to help set the tone defensively. Has solid form and range when working in zone. Able to shade over when receivers are working in the slot. Blitzes off the edge frequently and shows a quick first step and a decent spin counter. Has the lateral quickness to find lanes to the passer. Motor could get him some second-effort sacks.

Negatives:

Might be slightly small for some odd fronts. Would like to see a little more patience with his reads and run fits. Can be overly aggressive, and when he gets sucked in, doesn’t quite have the speed to recover positioning; somewhat susceptible to play-action and misdirection. Takes himself out of some plays by slipping blocks away from the play directly. Doesn’t quite have true sideline-to-sideline range. Lapses into hitting instead of wrapping at times, leading to some missed tackles.

Summary:

Wasn’t quite thrilled with his angles and reads in some of the games reviewed, but could really be something if he plays with more discipline and cleans up his pursuit, as he works through trash very well. Would be best in an aggressive, swarming defense, as he seems to prefer slipping blocks to taking them on to preserve the integrity of the run defense. Could develop into a quality starter, but if he started too early, he might be exploited by misdirection and play-fakes. Consequently, probably more of a second-day selection.

Projection: Round 3