Main Photo: Clemson Athletics
PSD Photo by Zamani Feelings
By: Donald Hunt
CLEMSON, SC – If you have been watching college and professional football this season, there’s a good chance that you have seen a player from St. Joseph’s Prep play on national television.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr., a St. Joseph’s Prep product, is one of those players. Trotter, a 6-0, 230-pound junior linebacker from Clemson, keeps up with several former players from The Prep.
“I text a lot of my old high school teammates,” Trotter said. “We have a group chat with my class and others. We just text back and forth and watch each other [games] and wishing each other luck as we all go through our athletic careers. It seems like a brotherhood.”
Clemson junior LB, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. #54 - Photo Courtesy of Clemson Athletics
The Philadelphia Eagles have two former St. Joseph’s Prep standouts running back D’Andre Swift and wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus. Ohio State ranked No. 3 nationally has quarterback Kyle McCord and All-American wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. for St. Joseph’s Prep. Wide receiver Sahmir Hagans another former Hawk plays for Duke ranked No. 17 in the country.
Trotter credits the school’s football program for much of their success.
“The Prep has always been a successful program the culture there and academically with the coaches as well as the great players,” Trotter said. “I feel like the coaching and how they develop their players started to show up now when we see all those guys become successful further along in their career.”
Trotter has played some great football for Clemson. He leads the team with 48 total tackles. Trotter, the son of former Philadelphia Eagles star linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Sr., also has 8.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He is on the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. The annual award goes to the National Defensive Player of the Year.
“It’s really a blessing to be able to be on that watch list and being a possible candidate to win it,” he said. “It’s a blessing, but I’m just trying to make sure I’m focused on the things I can control right now.”
Trotter is focused on helping the Tigers finish the season strong and land a spot in a major bowl game. Clemson has a 4-3 record overall and a 2-3 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Trotter feels the ACC is one of the country’s best conferences.
“It’s definitely been competitive,” Trotter said. “It shows the type of players they have and the coaching as well. It shows the ACC is a very viable league as far as competitiveness.”
TROTTER BROTHERS, JEREMIAH & JOSIAH, TALK ABOUT AN INTERCEPTION RETURN THAT INVOLVED BOTH PLAYERS During 2020 game vs. Archbishop Wood - PSD Video by John KNebels:
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. during his time as a St. Joseph's Prep Hawk - PSD Photo by Zamani Feelings
Trotter and the list of terrific players from St. Joseph’s Prep have been playing at a high level this season. The Clemson Tigers will play away this weekend against NC State before returning home on Nov. 4 to host Notre Dame.