We have three words for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2024 NFL Draught: Trotter, Jeremiah Jr.
It’s natural for the name to sound familiar. In the third round of the 1998 NFL Draught, Philadelphia selected linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Sr. With an unforgiving, tough style of play, the “Axe-Man” spent eight years in three tours with the team, collecting 691 tackles, eight sacks, and the hearts of Eagles fans.
His namesake is a Clemson Tigers linebacker, and at least one observer believes he will follow in his father’s footsteps in 2024.
According to Luke Easterling of si.com, Philadelphia will select Trotter Jr. 52nd overall, with a second-round pick previously owned by the Saints. The Eagles haven’t spent much draught capital on linebackers in recent years, but taking him in 2024 might be a wise move.
Trotter is, first and foremost, one of the top defensive players in college football. He is presently ranked third among linebacker prospects by Pro Football Focus, slightly behind teammate Barrett Carter. But it was Trotter, not Carter, who was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week after recording 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, and a pick-six against Notre Dame.
The position at linebacker in Philadelphia isn’t ideal right now. In 2022, the team signed Georgia’s Nakobe Dean, but he has yet to make an impact and may be out for the season due to a Lisfranc injury. Zach Cunningham is the team’s second-leading tackler, although he’s only on a one-year contract and was added late in training camp.
Under Jeff Lurie’s ownership, the Eagles have been one of the NFL’s more stable franchises, and general manager Howie Roseman always fields competitive teams. The piecemeal approach to the linebacker position, on the other hand, is wearing thin. Trotter would be a good match, but the club (and fans) will have to wait until April.
