Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie lights up training camp practice on the first day of pads
The Buccaneers have a very exciting rookie class headlined by Rueben Bain Jr., but it was a different first-year player that really stood out during Monday’s training camp practice.
Rueben Bain Jr. is easily the highlight of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2026 draft class, and he’s had a good training camp so far. But it was his fellow rookie in Josiah Trotter that really stood out during the Buccaneers’ first padded training camp practice on Monday.
Per reports, Trotter was all over the place. There was even one play in which he “jolted” Buccaneers tackle Justin Skule, which knocked him back and allowed Trotter to get into the backfield and make a tackle for loss. It was an all-around disruptive effort on the play and then he immediately followed it up by shooting through the “A” gap and making another TFL.
This is exactly what we figured we would see with Trotter. His game is power, speed, and just causing absolute chaos at the line of scrimmage and in the backfield. That’s why Tampa Bay drafted him in the second round, and he’s expected to play that aggressive, downhill thumper role in 2026 alongside linebacker Alex Anzalone.
Anzalone noticed Trotter’s performance on Monday, too, and complimented him after practice when asked about it.
Monday is a great sign for Trotter’s development
So, with all that being said, Monday is obviously a great sign for Trotter. One of the biggest hurdles for any rookie is picking up a playbook and getting off to a fast start in training camp, especially when the pads come on. So far, Trotter is getting it done. He’s figured out a way to get off to a fast start, and that’s really going to help push him in the battle for a starting job next to Anzalone.
It’s also good to see him picking up the defense like this because that’s ultimately what could hold him back in terms of playing time. Todd Bowles’ defense is not easy, especially for a first-year player. Linebacker is a very tough position mentally. Sure, you need all the physical traits, but what makes a lot of great linebackers great are instincts and intelligence.
Trotter has all of that. But the fact that these guys have to decipher what’s happening with the play at multiple levels of the field within seconds is nearly impossible for any regular human to do. The fact that he’s a rookie and is already able to diagnose and make plays like this, this quickly in camp with pads on, is a good sign for things to come.
Now, it’s all about coming out Tuesday and stacking another good practice.
