Todd Bowles Compares Josiah Trotter To Rueben Bain
April 28th, 2026
As usual Todd Bowles wasn’t heard from after Friday’s Round 2 and 3 of the NFL Draft, and he did not address the media after the final day of the draft.
Why that happens, Joe will never understand.
But Bowles was heard from today via The Rich Eisen Show on ESPN TV.
The head coach was asked by Eisen if the fiery play of first-round pick edge rusher Rueben Bain is something he can stoke.
Bowles is all-in. “Love it to death. Hope it spreads,” he replied.
As for second-round pick linebacker Josiah Trotter out of the University of Missouri, Bowles was very confident and compared Trotter to his new edge rusher.
“He plays with the same demeanor that Bain plays with,” Bowles said of Trotter. “He’s a very thick, physical linebacker that can run. He’s a heck of a blitzer, so we’ll utilize him that way, as well. But people underestimate his coverage skills. Really love where he’s at.”
For those unaware, Trotter is the son of four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Jeremiah Trotter. The former Eagles star was a thorn in the Bucs’ side 25 years ago and finished played with the Bucs in 2007.
Bowles said he met Josiah Trotter and his dad at a college day at Clemson about five years ago when their sons were juniors in high school. More important, Bowles said the film shows Josiah Trotter has learned plenty from his pops.
“You can tell by the way he plays, he learned a lot from his father,” Bowles said.
Yes, the Bucs will have two rookie starters with their first two draft picks, barring a disaster. That’s something not seen in Tampa since 2019.
April 28th, 2026 at 4:14 pm
The Bucs met with Josiah Trotter at the combine
Then they brought him in for a Top 30 visit.
They were sold on him from the start, they had no interest in other ILB
He’s big, strong, physical and he plays violently
He has a high football IQ, a high motor, he plays relentless
He’s exactly what Todd Bowles been looking for in a MIKE LB
And he’s only 21
April 28th, 2026 at 4:15 pm
Feel better about the Trotter pick and how they are going to use him than I did initially. Just draft the top coverage ILB next draft so can learn from Alex Anzalone. Bring back LVD as a coach if he’s not going to be a minister.
April 28th, 2026 at 4:49 pm
Fire Bowles now!!!
April 28th, 2026 at 5:05 pm
And there we go. Bowles son’s friend.
April 28th, 2026 at 5:16 pm
Josiah Trotter and Jeremiah Trotter jr played at St Joseph Prep
They are a high school powerhouse in Pennsylvania
They came to Lakeland and beat us in 2023
He has a solid football background, high football IQ
April 28th, 2026 at 5:55 pm
I love this pick.
Trotter physically looks like a legit NFL MLB.
Thank God SVD is not being given a second chance.
Anzalone, Trotter, Rozeboom, SVD (very good on special team)
I can live with this.
The OG doesn’t look very big. I’m not sure about him. He doesn’t really pass the eye test. Like Klein.
April 28th, 2026 at 6:05 pm
Agree with Lakeland on Trotter and he pairs nicely with Angelone.
April 28th, 2026 at 6:13 pm
Hopefully dad can help him with stuff if he does struggle with some things. I just worry about the injury history with him, too! Hopefully he can be just as good as dad.
April 28th, 2026 at 7:14 pm
I don’t know about his pass coverage, but nobody is gonna run on us. They say Bain plays the run very well too. That new tackles play the run very well. The new nickleback is great at both run and pass. Even bowlz can’t screw this up.
April 28th, 2026 at 7:42 pm
I think he’s going to be a really good LB for his. His character is A1 and he is a beast on the field. We also have a year or 2 to draft our other next 54/55 ILB.
I think he and Anzalone will form a strong duo for us as they compliment each other well
April 28th, 2026 at 8:18 pm
Looks like he’ll be wearing #45.
Hope Chase gives Bain his #4
April 28th, 2026 at 8:21 pm
They’ll have 3 rookie starters on defense, Scott will start at nickel.
April 28th, 2026 at 8:55 pm
Simeon4HOF Says:
April 28th, 2026 at 8:18 pm
Looks like he’ll be wearing #45.
Hope Chase gives Bain his #4
—————-
I picture Bain grabbing whatever jersey they give him like he grabbed his draft hat. All business.
April 28th, 2026 at 8:55 pm
When we whoop everyone in preseason with our depth , people will realize this team is much better. The other guys are gonna have to play with attitude to keep up.
Should be the most interesting cuts this year.
Will Baker be able to keep Shep?
I doubt it. We have like 4 of him.
April 28th, 2026 at 9:57 pm
Hill and Trotter are both 6’2″ and just under 240. They are the same age.
Trotter performed no timed testing at the combine or his pro day, and he has a history of an MCL injury, a ACL tear and some kind of knee surgery after the 2025 season.
Hill ran a 4.51 (93rd percentile) with a 37 inch vertical (81st percentile) and, for explosiveness, a 12’5″ broad jump (89th percentile) and 1.58 ten yard split (75th) percentile).
So, yes, tape and stop watches are nice, but what happens on the field is what matters – I thought.
And, what happened to that “ball hawk” thing that was written about so much last year? It is all about the takeaways! Isn’t it? Wasn’t it? Is that all gone now?
On the field in 2025 in the SEC:
– Trotter had 2 sacks and Hill had 4?
– Trotter had 13 TFLs and Hill had 7 – okay.
– Trotter had 84 tackles and Hill had 69 – okay.
– They each had 1 pass defended – okay.
– Trotter had 0 interceptions and Hill had 2?
– Trotter, the smash ’em all guy, had 0 forced fumbles, and Hill had 3?
So, had you rather had 6 more TFLs and 15 more tackles, or 2 more sacks, 2 more interceptions, and 3 more forced fumbles?
I get that Trotter’s dad was a successful pro linebacker while Hill’s dad was just a Division II linebacker. But, it’s not their dads who will be on the field for the Bucs.
So, what was the knock on Hill?
Or, is this just about who was connected with whom?
April 28th, 2026 at 10:18 pm
That’s awesome `74. Same
Just suggesting our Kicker give it up without him even asking
April 28th, 2026 at 11:04 pm
toopanca – I would have taken Hill myself (and Kyle Louis over Hill or Trotter) but the reason Hill slide was his missed tackle rate, it was very high, and generally if a guy can’t tackle in college, they don’t improve at that in the pro’s.
But I have thought all along that Trotter would be a good run stuffing LB, he looks and plays like a guy who would be a good 4-3 ILB in a defense where they want the MLB to be a tough guy enforcer. BUT, in Bowles scheme, you need to be able to drop into coverage, and that’s where Trotter didn’t look as good, although he also did have many D1 snaps.
Overall, I said even before the draft that I think Trotter will be a good NFL LB, just not in this scheme. I really hope I’m wrong, and I very well could be.
April 29th, 2026 at 5:47 am
>Yes, the Bucs will have two rookie starters with their first two draft picks, barring a disaster. That’s something not seen in Tampa since 2019.
No, last time we had that was 2023.
April 29th, 2026 at 6:00 am
I am definitely not sold on Trotter, I believe teams are going to pass on him all day. Slot Receivers and running backs are going to burn him. I really hope I’m wrong.
April 30th, 2026 at 1:36 pm
Bowles thinks trotter is as good as Bain. He is full of crap. Not even close.