Throughout the fall at Steelers Depot, we will be highlighting possible draft prospects the Pittsburgh Steelers may have interest in for the 2024 NFL Draft and their performance during the college football season.
The Duke Blue Devils shocked the college football world Monday night, defeating the Clemson Tigers, 28-7, in Durham. The Blue Devils ran all over the Tigers’ defense, rushing for just under 200 yards and three touchdowns while Clemson’s offense struggled to get anything going throughout the contest. Clemson star LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. had a decent performance in the loss, totaling nine tackles (five solo), 1.5 TFLs, and a forced fumble. Seeing that Trotter is one of the top inside linebacker prospects in this draft class, I wanted to take a deeper dive into his tape and see what positives and negative stuck out.
The Film
One negative that stuck out from Trotter’s tape was his lack of being in position to being a step behind in pursuit of the ball carrier Monday night. Trotter displayed great pursuit and closing speed in his summer scouting profile here on the site, but he was inconsistent in those areas against Duke. Watch this first rep where Trotter drops into coverage and recognizes the dump off pass to the tight end near the line of scrimmage. He attempts to break down and tackle the tight end, who bolts toward the sideline. Trotter tries to adjust and chase him down but is unable to cut off the runner with a good angle, resulting in the tight end getting some run after the catch for the first down.
We see a similar problem here on this play as Trotter attempts to cut off the runner on the outside zone run to the sideline. You see Trotter pull up a little bit as he approaches the runner, appearing to be out of gas and struggling to take a good angle to wrap up the ball carrier, who makes it to the sideline. He runs through one arm tackle and gets in for the score.
However, Trotter did show moments when he rallied to the ball well while away from the play. Take a look at this tackle Trotter makes as he runs to the receiver who catches the screen pass. Meeting the ball carrier with a big hit as another defender wrapped him up at the legs, Trotter stopping him from reaching the line of scrimmage.
You see Trotter clean up the play in a similar fashion on this rep, this time coming downhill after dropping deep into coverage in the middle of the field on third and long. Trotter sees the quarterback scrambling up the middle of the pocket and forces him down with a diving shoulder tackle, hitting him just as the quarterback picks up the first down.
Trotter flashed a few times in the contest, particularly in his work close to the line of scrimmage. He posted 6.5 sacks last season for the Tigers, and nearly had one on this play where he loops around the left tackle, getting clean into the backfield. Trotter forces the quarterback to throw the ball early to avoid getting sacked, tossing the ball into the turf for an incompletion.
Trotter’s splash play of the night came on a forced fumble that his teammate, CB Andrew Mukuba, recovers. As you watch the play, you see all three linebackers stand up over the center. Trotter sheds the center’s block, knocking his hands down and swims over his right shoulder to get into the backfield. Trotter then locates the football and wraps up the ball carrier, knocking the football out as he brings the ball carrier to the ground and Mukuba recovering.
Conclusion
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. displayed several of the key traits that will make him one of the more sought-after linebacker prospects in this draft class against Duke. He displayed physicality as a tackler as well as the ability to rush the passer and work through blocks at the line of scrimmage. However, Trotter’s lack of closing speed in pursuit stuck out compared to his 2022 tape, being unable to get the angle on ball carriers on a couple of occasions as those were plays you saw him make on film last season.
The inside linebacker position has been devalued in recent seasons in the league, teams often settling for options in the middle rounds rather than spending a first-round draft pick on a top prospect. If Trotter wants to cement his status as a Day One hopeful, he will need to rebound and showcase that burst and closing speed in pursuit as well as flash more in coverage like he did last season. His size isn’t helping his case either as he stands 6-feet and weighs 230 pounds and could be smaller than that when he measures in at the NFL Combine.
Pittsburgh could be in the market for an inside linebacker next season depending on what happens with LBs Elandon Roberts and Kwon Alexander this offseason. While Trotter is a talented prospect with the production and pedigree Pittsburgh desires, perhaps targeting him somewhere as a Day Two prospect may be the right move than using a first-round pick on another undersized inside linebacker.
