West Virginia's Jeremiah Trotter a potential impact player, according to teammate
By Joseph Smith
West Virginia tight end Treylan Davis is entering his fourth season with the program, and he’s learning the ropes of college football well.
There is one player on the roster, however, that he’s quite impressed with -- a name that may come as a surprise to Mountaineer fans.
Davis pinpointed redshirt freshman linebacker Josiah Trotter as a potential underrated player to watch this season, who he feels has been impressive in spring practices and will play a significant role on defense in the future.
“I think Josiah Trotter is gonna be an absolute headache for offenses to deal with,” Davis said on Friday while meeting with the media.
Trotter was a Class of 2023 early enrollee poised to make an impact before a leg injury derailed his initial course -- he would redshirt last season as a freshman. Trotter overlooked powerhouse programs such as Ohio State, Clemson, and Oregon to choose WVU, and was a three-star prospect who is the son of 1998 NFL Draftee Jeremiah Trotter. The elder Trotter was a two-time All-Pro selection and four-time Pro Bowler.
Davis lines up against Trotter often as a tight end, and he sees a huge upside in the young talent in terms of attitude, skill, and football IQ.
"He plays gritty, he plays fast, like his read keys are fast. He's there, and he knows what's going on. He's so alert for such a young guy -- it's impressive."
Davis also mentioned that Trotter has fully bought in with Mike Joseph, the head of WVU football's strength and conditioning program. Entering as a freshman at 6'2 and 230 pounds, Trotter is quickly building a body even further prepared for competitive Division 1 football.
"He's a big dude, too," Davis added with a chuckle during his interview.
But what seemed to impress Davis so much is that Trotter appears to be a film junkie and a true student of the game, which can be a tough attribute to develop in a younger player.
"He spends so much time on the game, he loves the game. Like, that's one thing you can't -- it reeks off of him," Davis said.