Buccaneers selected Missouri LB Josiah Trotter with the No. 46 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Trotter (6’2/237) produced like a classic downhill MIKE, logging 89 tackles with 10.5 TFLs, 13 run stops and 11 havoc plays while anchoring the front with a 65.9 percent run-tackle share. His 89.0 percent tackle rate reflects a controlled, square finisher who consistently arrives with leverage and balance in tight quarters. Trotter adds real blitz value, generating nine pressures on just 53 rushes (17.0 percent pressure rate) with two sacks and three sacks created, showing urgency and timing attacking interior gaps. He plays with a diagnostic trigger versus the run, quickly keying blocking schemes and leveraging his frame to slip or shock blockers despite not being an overwhelming athlete. However, Trotter’s profile flips in coverage, where inconsistent route recognition and delayed processing leave him vulnerable to backs and tight ends on dynamic patterns. He projects as an early-down run-stopping linebacker with subpackage blitz utility, whose path to a three-down role will hinge on improving spatial awareness and anticipation in coverage.