Josiah Trotter finished the preseason with an 80.5 defensive grade, the fourth highest among rookie linebackers who played at least 20 snaps. Only Ohio State's Arvell Reese, LSU's Harold Perkins Jr. and Texas Tech's Jack Kelly finished ahead of him.
Against the Jets, Trotter played just 15 defensive snaps but earned an 82.4 PFF grade. He finished with three total tackles without being charged with a missed tackle and earned a 78.1 run defense grade. Trotter attacked downhill, forced runners to change direction, and held up when asked to cover tight ends and running backs. There wasn't much concern about Trotter's ability against the run coming out of Missouri, as he earned an 89.3 run defense grade during his final college season and built his reputation
around his instincts and willingness to attack gaps. Coverage was the bigger question after he posted grades below 50 in that area during each of his final two college seasons, but those concerns haven't prevented the Bucs from giving him opportunities.
Trotter started alongside Alex Anzalone when Tampa Bay played its first team defense against Kansas City, another indication that the competition with SirVocea Dennis for a starting role has been legitimate. The rookie has also talked about how quickly the game has started to slow down for him as he's gotten more comfortable in Todd Bowles' defense. Trotter has looked capable of handling more than just early down run defense, which could make it easier for Bowles to declare him a starter come regular season.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Josiah Trotter quietly puts together impressive preseason
