Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Josiah Trotter had a very impressive rookie debut. So much so that when his quarterback, Baker Mayfield, was watching tape of their Week 2 opponent, he saw glimpses of Trotter while watching former Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger.
“What a smart player he is, for a rookie to be able to adapt and play and read out of plays at a high level,” said Mayfield of Schwesinger.
Mayfield said that what he saw from the Browns rookie in 2025 reminded him of what he sees from Trotter each day. He went on to describe the commonalities between the two.
“That’s kind of what you saw from Trot in Week 1,” added Mayfield. “Just the high football IQ guys that trust their instincts, shoot the gap, make aggressive plays, but they’re also fundamentally sound and not going to be out of position or have bad technique.”
Like Trotter, Schwesinger was drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft. The question is whether Trotter can complete the strong season in the way that the Browns’ former 33rd overall pick did.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rookie Josiah Trotter Gets Rookie of the Year Comparison
Schwesinger recorded 156 total tackles in his rookie season. He added 11 tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits, 2.5 sacks, and two interceptions. He was dominant across the board. It was only one week, but the Bucs’ 46th overall pick had a complete game in all areas in the same way.
Trotter produced 11 tackles, two being for loss. He had one quarterback hit, one sack, and one interception. So, he is well on his way to matching what Schwesinger did.
The question is whether he can maintain that level of consistency. Mayfield tends to see a player who can do it. The Bucs certainly hope so.
Bucs Utilize Four Rookies in Week 1 vs Cincinnati Bengals
Trotter was not the only Bucs rookie to be highly involved in the Week 1 game plan. While he was the most successful, their top four picks all had differing levels of success, seeing the field in different ways.
First-round pick Rueben Bain played 41 snaps. However, he failed to record a pressure on 24 pass-rush snaps. His debut was disappointing.
Keionte Scott played 47 snaps. The fourth-round rookie was the Bucs starting slot and played in nickel situations. However, Benjamin Morrison played well and they might utilize him in nickel situations when Jacob Parrish returns. So, how much Scott plays moving forward is unknown.
Then, third-round rookie Ted Hurst played 43 snaps. He played so much because third-year receiver Jalen McMillan was not healthy. Hurst caught three passes for 36 yards. Still, with McMillan healthy, there is a question as to whether Hurst will continue to play this much.
Things are up and down for the rest of the class, but they are steadily trending up for Trotter.
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