Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G
1	Jeremiah Trotter Jr.	Linebacker	Clemson	Junior	4-Star Recruit (97)
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3	Positional Rank	Grade	Height	Weight	2023 Coverage Stops	2023 Run Stops
4	4	Early 4th	6'0	228	16	21
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6	Career Stats	Total Tackles	Interceptions	Sacks	Tackles for Loss	Passes Deflected
7	2023	88	2	5.5	15	5
8	2022	89	2	6.5	13.5	5
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10	Overview
11	Strengths	Notes
12	Versatility	Trotter can play effectively in any scheme at any off-ball linebacker position.
13	Understanding his Assignment	He understands his assignment flawlessly on most plays. He always fills his gap, understands coverages, reads the quarterback well, and has great vision regarding running and blitzing lanes. He does not often go out of his way to make a special play, but fills his role reliably.
14	Outside Run Defense	While his boundary speed is not exceptional, he navigates well to the outside and can make tackles in open space from the side when he is able to wrap on the legs of the halfback.
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16	Weaknesses	Notes
17	Traits	He has fine traits, but lacks ideal strength, speed, and length for the position.
18	Tackling	Trotter has extremely good mechanics when tackling. He wraps up, uses grip adequately, and his striking zone when attempting to bring down guys differs appropriately based on their size. This is listed as a weakness because he still missed 15 tackles (16.3%) in 2023 despite good form. Without much room for improvement mechanically, he may struggle to bring down running backs at the next level if he does not gain some strength and mass, which he still can as a 21-year-old Junior.
19	Closing Burst	His pursuit and closing burst when driving in on a ball carrier are both subpar. He often plays at the same speed on every play, and may have trouble adapting to NFL speed because of it.
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21	Film
22	Game	Takeaways
23	Florida State (09/23/2023)	Good, not great speed. Good vision in run game to penetrate assigned gap. Good tackle technique. Appropriate zone drifting. Comes downhill quickly. Consistent tackle technique. Lacks top-end burst, but great reactions and play speed. Solid in coverage, but not a true coverage linebacker. Better closing speed than acceleration. Could improve zone coverage. Really solid overall run defender. Good lateral movements in run game as well. Has to work on coverage decisions. Adequate open field movement patterns. Excellent tackle form. The ball carrier not hitting the ground was very flukey. Quick arms to disengage from blocks. Lacks top-end pursuit speed. Not the strongest player. High hips at times. NFL tempo may surprise him.					Very good at the linebacker fundamentals, but too small for playstyle. Run defending weakside linebacker with blitzing upside. 3rd round tape at best.
24	North Carolina (11/18/2023)	Comes downhill on inside runs with patience and control. Sees blitzing lanes well. Seemingly good vision. Good outside navigation. Good speed, but nothing special. Impressive outside run defense. Adequate in any type of coverage (third highest PFF grade in man coverage among all college linebackers in 2023 with a 91.2). Lacks ideal pursuit speed. Decent blitzing navigation with his hand usage. Great contact angle and velocity on blitz. Good play awareness. Lack of speed showing up.					Mid 3rd.
25	Notre Dame [Passing Plays Only]	Closing burst is mediocre at best. Slightly flat-footed in squat coverage. Reads the quarterback really well. Very controlled player. Not overly aggressive. Seems to understand zone coverage over the middle, which will be far more important in the NFL. Better spy than pure pass rusher, but good at navigating the halfback when blitzing. Very good tackler from the side.					Mid 3rd tape, but early day three player due to size and athleticism concerns.
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27	Final Scouting Report
28	Jeremiah Trotter Jr. may be the smartest linebacker in this class. His movements are excellent, he always understands his assignments, and he is highly decisive. When tackling, he is very technical and mechanically sound, especially when approaching from the side. He can play any off-ball linebacker position and find success in both the run and passing game. If he was built more like his father, then may may have been an early pick in the draft. The reason he may slide is due to size and athleticism concerns. He is only 6' tall, sub-230lbs, and lacks twitch and closing burst. He is a very controlled player, but does not have much aggression or true sideline-to-sideline range. While he is a very intelligent player who should still be able to find success in the league, there is a reason he did not participate in all of the combine tests. If he can physically develop, then he could still become an excellent linebacker. As it stands, his lack of athleticism at the linebacker position may not even warrant a day two pick in the NFL Draft.
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