Browns NFL Draft Profile: LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

Jeremiah Trotter Jr. would be an excellent fit for Cleveland’s defense going forward

The Cleveland Browns have quite a few position groups that require attention in terms of overall depth, and linebacker is undoubtedly one of them.

Sione Takitaki, Matthew Adams, Anthony Walker Jr., Jacob Phillips and Jordan Kunaszyk all left the team at the start of free agency and the Browns need to find adequate replacements before the start of offseason team activities. They’ve added Jordan Hicks and Devin Bush so far, but it might be wise for them to add at least one through the NFL draft for both youth and financial reasons.

Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is a player who could be on the Browns’ radar heading into draft weekend due to his athleticism, collegiate production, and football IQ. He’s the son of former Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter.

Name

Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

Position

Linebacker

Height/Weight

6’0”, 228 pounds

College

University of Clemson

Stats

2023: 12 games – 88 tackles, 15 TFL, 5.5 sacks, 5 pass deflections, 2 interceptions

Overall: 31 games – 192 tackles, 29.5 TFL, 13 sacks, 10 pass deflections, 4 interceptions

Relative Athletic Score

“Big Board” ranking at time of publishing

78th

What experts are saying

“Trotter has the proven production and the NFL bloodlines, and the tape confirms that he has all of the necessary physical and mental tools to have an impact at the professional level.” – Ian Cummings, Pro Football Network Scout

“Jeremiah Trotter Jr. fits the role of an ideal ILB who has plus-level instincts and production against the run while making plays in zone defense against the pass.” – Keith Sanchez, TDN Pro Scout

“Jeremiah Trotter Jr. projects as a backup Mike linebacker in a 4-3 defense at the next level. While he doesn’t have the big-time stoutness one would expect of a downhill linebacker, he can stack-and-shed, navigate the trash and run alleys sufficiently.” – SIS NFL Draft Staff

Pros

• Excellent “Stack-n-Shed” ability against the run
• NFL bloodlines with above-average football IQ
• Great lateral movement, can mirror ball-carriers with good body control
• Above-average footspeed that allows him to “dance” around blockers in traffic
• Technical tackler
• Has shown enough speed to cover most areas of the field
• Surprisingly good blitzer, able to get “skinny” and sneak through narrow gaps
• Great with angles and tracking ball-carriers downfield

Cons

• Very compact build with limited overall length and wingspan
• Sometimes gives up too much space in zone coverage as a flat defender
• Processing speed could be faster, sometimes bites on obvious fakes or option plays
• Nagging hamstring injury throughout the 2023 season

Browns player drafting could impact

Tony Fields II or Devin Bush. As of right now, Fields and Bush are the only other linebackers on the team that would realistically give Trotter competition for regular snaps in the team’s “Base” 4-3 package.

Priority

Medium-High. Cleveland currently only has three linebackers who’ve seen a significant amount of playing time at the NFL level, and they need to find at least one more guy who has the potential to provide quality snaps at MIKE or SAM linebacker.

Jordan Hicks, who was signed to be the team’s starting MIKE in 2024 will be 32 years old at the start of the season. It’s crucial for the Browns to find a young, athletic linebacker who not only could contribute right away in their base defense, but can succeed Hicks if possible as early as 2025.

Trotter is the type of talented prospect that could push the team to cut Jordan Hicks post-June 1st next season, which would save the team $3.5 Million despite recently signing him to a 2-year contract.

What are your thoughts on Jeremiah Trotter Jr.? Join fellow Browns fans in the comment section below.