Former WVU football linebacker Josiah Trotter has made a name for himself since entering the transfer portal, and he is now a focal point of the Missouri Tigers' defense.
Trotter, a redshirt sophomore born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, spent two years in West Virginia. He redshirted as a freshman in 2023 due to a knee injury. In 2024, Trotter was the top inside linebacker for the Mountaineers, recording 93 total tackles, two passes deflected, half a sack, and one interception. He was named the 2024 Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and was a semifinalist for the Shawn Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.
But when West Virginia fired head coach Neal Brown, Trotter joined many of his former teammates in entering the transfer portal. On December 16, 2024, he made the move to the SEC and transferred to Missouri.
Entering the 2025 season, Trotter was the only middle linebacker on the Tigers that was a transfer. But in just four games at Missouri, Trotter earned his spot as the starting linebacker, and currenly leads the Tigers with 26 total tackles. Against South Carolina, Trotter made his impact with 11 total tackles and one tackle for loss. His play has contributed to the Tigers currently being ranked 2nd in the SEC and showing up at No. 20 in the latest AP Poll.
Trotter has a family history of success in college football and in the NFL. He is the son of former NFL linebacker Jeremiah Trotter and the brother of Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Trotter Jr. spent three years at Clemson and is currently a linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles, the team his father played on for nine seasons. Trotter Jr. won a Super Bowl with the Eagles last season.
Trotter will look to follow in his father and brother’s footsteps when eligible for the NFL Draft. Until then, he will be heavily relied upon to lead Missouri through their remaining SEC schedule. Meanwhile, WVU fans will continue to miss the impact Josiah Trotter had on the Mountaineers defense.