Coming off a first-team All-SEC season, Missouri linebacker Josiah Trotter projects as one of the best players at his position in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Trotter came out of the gate firing in his collegiate career, starting for West Virginia as a redshirt freshman. There, he won Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and led the conference with 56 assisted tackles. He then transferred to Missouri, where he dominated, recording 84 total tackles and 13 tackles for a loss.
JI: You had the chance to star at both West Virginia and Mizzou. How did both of those programs prepare you for the NFL?
JT: When I first got to West Virginia, the strength staff and [strength and conditioning coach] Mike Joseph played a big role to that. When I first got there, they did a great job of preparing me in the weight room in all aspects.
When I went to Missouri, playing a year at West Virginia and playing the year at Mizzou, the coaching staff, the system we played in, and my position coach that I had just really helped me learn from a game standpoint. Mentally, [I was] preparing each and every single day, throughout practice, throughout the week. Being in a different type of conference and the level of play that I was facing [also prepared me].
JI: You played with a lot of future NFLers this year at Mizzou. What was the environment like there, and how did playing with them help you grow as a player?
JT: Yeah, it was great, especially when you’re around other guys who are on the same mission as you, to try to not only win a national championship, but they want to dominate their job and be the best there is on the field. When you’re surrounded by other dogs, it just makes the game so much more fun. This past year was the most fun I had just playing football, especially on the college level. Definitely the most fun I had was just playing with those guys, even though we didn’t accomplish all the goals we have wanted.
Playing with those guys on defense, especially, and then having those dogs on offense, and having guys like Zion [Young], Chris McClellan, a lot of those older guys. The guys around me, Triston Newson, Khalil Jacobs, the whole linebacker room was fun to be around that whole year. We just pushed each other. When you’re surrounded by other dogs just like you and guys who want to accomplish great things and try to hold up a high standard, it makes it fun to be around and a great place to be.
College nowadays, it’s a business, but it’s not completely like that. It’s more camaraderie in the locker room, so you still have your college aspect, but it’s more of a business. Guys are coming in with a business mindset, so that’s the main and most important thing.
JI: Growing up with your dad in the NFL and your brother currently in the league, what have they taught you about being in the league, and how does that give you an advantage once you get drafted?
JT: They’re telling me to enjoy the process. It goes by fast. [They’re making sure I’m] enjoying the Combine and preparing for it, the different type of questions, things you have to answer, and just being myself and just taking it like I would on the football field. It’s a business, and you know it’s gonna be a business.
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At the end of the day, you have to answer different types of questions, whatever hard questions you got to answer to about different things, whatever it may be. But as a business, at the end of the day, everything from a young age is preparing me for this, my dad, and having my brother who’s gone through the process. It’s a blessing building knowledge to have them, but to have a sibling that’s gone through the process, you can ask him different questions, and what it was like for him, what I should prepare for, or dos and don’ts from that standpoint.
JI: I love the downhill urgency you play with. When you’re coming off the snap, and it’s a run play, what are the first things you’re looking at before deciding what angles and movements to take to the ball?
JT: First thing, I’m seeing the formation to come out. Once I get the call and everything, knowing that, knowing my job, then I’m going back to the film study I’ve had. When I get this formation with that, I need to key out of these formations. If I know I’m getting a tight end on the hip, a tight end out wide, he’s off the ball, and that, knowing he could probably come in motion, knowing what plays I could get off of that. But if he’s on the hip, then I’m looking at the distance between…is he tight? Is he loose on the hip? Is he untouchable, touchable? [That’ll tell us] whether or not we can have a run or pass key with that.
Then, going through my keys with the o-line. With a good team, sometimes you can’t really get too much keys off, whether or not they’re sitting real light or not, because they do a good job with the coaches. Most times, you can get keys, especially in their alignment. Maybe they’re out of shape, or they’re getting tired. I’m going for keys, if you know my o-line keys, if I get a run or pass key, I normally get out of there, and then just using my abilities and gifts to use instincts and play off of that.
JI: How do you like to spend your free time outside of football?
JT: Outside of football, if I’m not playing video games, I enjoy bowling. Bowling is a big hobby for me. I really got into it when I was back at West Virginia. I got my own bowling balls and shoes and bag and stuff. With my free time, I really enjoy doing that.
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When it’s warmer, [I like] golf. I got back into golf again, but I probably won’t start doing that until it gets warmer and I get more free time. Then, just playing video games, chilling, relaxing, watching shows for the most part. That’s really the stuff I like to do in my free time.
JI: What’s the best you’ve ever bowled in a single game?
JT: I probably went bowling with my dad one time back at home. I think I bowled 265. I just got hooked with my old teammates when I was back at West Virginia, and it just became a tradition. We’d go a couple days before the game, and it was a weekly thing, maybe two times a week. That guy just got his own bowling ball, and he was like, “you should get your own bowling ball”, because he had his own.
I was watching videos to learn how to spin it and finding my own flavor to it, like how I feel comfortable doing it, and then rolling with it. It’s almost like golf; when you hear that sound of getting a strike, it’s just so satisfying, you know? I also really enjoy going by myself sometimes, listen to music, and just go bowl a little bit.
JI: Let’s say I’m an NFL general manager. What would I be getting if I drafted you to my team?
JT: I feel like, if you’re drafting me to your team, you’re bringing in someone that not only can help contribute right away on defense and special teams, but you’re getting someone that’s coming in knowing how to handle himself with a business mindset as a rookie. I’m going to come in and be a leader, vocally and by action, and I’m going to come in and be a playmaker.
Ultimately, you’re drafting someone that’s coming in not just to do his job, to be a playmaker, execute, but also to motivate our guys and make guys line up better. I’ll bring our physicality to that team, IQ, intensity to that team, at the linebacker position. I’m a guy that could be versatile; there’s something to my game that I can bring that maybe a lot of people can’t do, especially consistently.
You’re bringing someone that’s a great locker room guy and is not selfish; just a great leader overall at that position, and can help communicate, get guys in that position. [I can help them] be on the same page, trying to execute the job as a defense.
