MORGANTOWN, West Virginia — The second round of the 2026 NFL Draft is in full swing, and with the No. 46 overall pick, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a move that should have West Virginia fans doing a double take. Missouri linebacker Josiah Trotter Jr. is officially off the board. But let’s be clear here… this is another guy who started his journey in Morgantown before taking his talents elsewhere.
BREAKING: Former #WVU linebacker Josiah Trotter has committed to Missouri. Huge loss for the Mountaineers defense! pic.twitter.com/yMmuMTtFZC
— The Voice of Morgantown (@voicemorgantown) December 16, 2024
Trotter began his collegiate career at West Virginia Mountaineers football, and you could see the flashes early. As a freshman, he recorded 92 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks while quickly becoming one of the most instinctive defenders on the roster. It didn’t take long for people to realize WVU had something.
Then came the transfer to Missouri Tigers football, where Trotter took things to another level. In his time at Mizzou, he piled up 205 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and multiple forced turnovers across two seasons. He became the leader of that defense and one of the more productive linebackers in the SEC. The production matched the talent, and the NFL took notice.
Now he’s headed to Tampa Bay, and it’s hard not to think about the “what if” from a WVU perspective. That’s two Mountaineer ties already in this draft, as Akheem Mesidor was taken earlier by the Los Angeles Chargers. Different paths, same story. WVU had them first.
No. 46 pick is in: #Bucs have selected Mizzou LB Josiah Trotter, per sources. pic.twitter.com/CxvGzryRVf
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 24, 2026
At the end of the day, this is another reminder of the kind of talent that has come through Morgantown. Trotter might be wearing a Buccaneers jersey now, but don’t get it twisted… his story started in gold and blue.
