Eagles trade up to select Jeremiah Trotter Jr., son of franchise legend, in Round 5 of 2024 NFL Draft

In the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles made a selection within their own team.

Philly traded up to the No. 155 pick to select Jeremiah Trotter Jr., the son of former Eagles third-round Pro Bowler Jeremiah Trotter Sr.

The Eagles swapped the No. 164 overall pick and a sixth-round pick (201) with Indianapolis in order to select Trotter.

From a young age, Trotter Sr. guided his son to emulate his own style of play as an enforcer at the linebacker position. Although the younger Trotter is not ideally sized at 6-foot and 228 pounds, his ability to hit hard is unquestionable. His leadership skills, which were highly commended at Clemson, were also never in doubt.

Trotter’s game currently may have a weakness, particularly in coverage. He can sometimes be overly stiff and too hands-on. Additionally, his over-aggressiveness or poor angles toward the ball can lead him to miss some tackles.

Nonetheless, Trotter should be capable of establishing himself as a two-down run-stopper and special teams player. Given his toughness, intangibles, and NFL lineage, it’s possible he could have a longer-than-anticipated career in the league.

Trotter becomes a member of an Eagle club, where he previously played high school ball at St. Joseph’s Prep in his hometown of Philadelphia.

In a media session before the draft, Eagles’ general manager, Howie Roseman, was questioned on the potential of choosing local players such as Trotter, who is the son of an Eagles team Hall of Famer.

“I’m biased towards our hometown players. I’m biased towards the people who have legacy with this franchise,” Roseman said on April 16, via the team website. “So, I think that’s hard, and I think that’s why, you know, when Coach talked about getting a lot of the information and trying to get myself out of that moment, and you know, just trying to make the best decision for the Philadelphia Eagles and not make it an emotional decision.”

Roseman not only drafted Trotter, but he also traded up to acquire the son of a legendary club figure.