Josiah Trotter has been everything the Bucs hoped he would be in his rookie season. The second-round draft pick has stepped into the starting lineup from day one and elevated the linebacker play in the middle of Tampa Bay’s defense.

Trotter has immediately become a force as a run defender, and he has added splash plays including a pick-six against the Cincinnati Bengals. Despite missing the Vikings game, Trotter is the Bucs’ leading tackler with 68 stops – 25 more than the next Tampa Bay defender, safety Tykee Smith, who has 43.

While the race for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year is a bit of a letdown this year, the defensive side of the ball has an exciting crop of candidates and Trotter is firmly in the center of the group that is contending for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

Bucs ILB Josiah Trotter – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

Josiah Trotter’s Fast Start For The Bucs

Josiah Trotter has come out of the gate fast. Through seven games he has recorded 68 tackles, including three for a loss, three passes defensed, an interception and a defensive touchdown. He is tied for 11th in the NFL in total tackles.

Using Sumer Sports’ impact play and negative play rates, Trotter is playing like one of the best linebackers in the NFL, and is in the elite category.

Amongst rookie linebackers Trotter is fourth in tackles, fifth in defensive stops and tied for fifth in pressures. And in coverage he is second in yards allowed per coverage snap, first in passer rating allowed when targeted, and second in completion rate allowed among qualified linebackers. Trotter is also the only rookie with a pick-six to his name.

And as a run defender he trails only the Cowboys’ Jaishawn Barham and the Dolphins’ Jacob Rodriguez in stop rate.

Bucs ILB Josiah Trotter – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

Trotter’s greatest attribute is his versatility. Everything is on the table with him in the middle of Todd Bowles’ defense. He can rush the passer from depth, step into the hole to blow up a run play, dent a pulling offensive lineman, drop to coverage. And while he hasn’t been asked to do it much thus far in the season, he can step down and play as an extra man on the line.

Only Washington’s Sonny Styles and New York Giants’ Arvell Reese, both of whom are first-round picks, can match Trotter’s all-around potential.

Tackles aren’t what they used to be as a measuring stick for defensive awards. In order to stand out against an unusually strong linebacker field he will need to add more splash plays. He is trailing both Reese and Styles in those (sacks + interceptions + tackles for loss + pass deflections). But he is just 3.5 behind Reese, who leads the pack among rookies.

The Larger Field Of NFL Defensive Rookie Of The Year Candidates

Beyond his fellow linebackers, Josiah Trotter is also up against pass rushers and defensive backs. His biggest competition from those groups is pass rusher David Bailey of the Jets and cornerback Mansoor Delane of the Chiefs – both of whom are first-round picks and have more name recognition as a result.

Bailey leads all rookies with 5.5 sacks and 26 pressures this season. He has the second-best consensus odds to win the DROY award at +275. Delane has the seventh-best odds at +2500. Giants linebacker Arvell Reese is currently the consensus odds-on favorite at +225.

Trotter currently has the ninth-best odds to win the award at +3500. A primetime matchup against the Bears gives Trotter the platform to improve those odds considerably at the midpoint of the season, followed by another nationally televised showcase versus the Panthers on Monday Night Football after the bye week.