Mike Auger

@Buccigross Can you check the refs eyes too? Not sure how you can miss that high stick

Someone measure the nets in Montreal I think they're too small. 18 posts tonight.

@Erik_Erlendsson Great defense by Goncalves. Next time just roll out a red carpet

And Montreal answers right back 11 seconds later as Dach cuts to the net, Vasilevskiy poke checks it away but it stays with Dach and he has the open side of the net

@gregauman Great stuff Greg. Thank you

Nicholson on questions about Trotter's pass coverage: "There's a narrative that he can't do that. That's the opposite of the truth. He has the physical attributes, the length and range and quickness and speed, to be a terror in coverage. He's a full 6-2 with 32-inch arms. He's very instinctive and has good awareness. That's a phase he's only going to get better at. Some of the issues people highlight, that happened in the first 3-4 games, from him getting used to a different coverage defense than he's ever played in. There was a learning curve for a lot of our newer players. After Week 4, he was our best internal coverage piece, doing a good job in zone and man. He's an impact player from Day 1."

Thread! One college coach who should know a lot about the Bucs' defensive front is Derek Nicholson, who was Josiah Trotter's LBs coach at Missouri this past year, had Rueben Bain at Miami in 2023-24 and worked with Yaya Diaby at Louisville 2020-22. Big fans of all three.

@JoshQueipo_NFL Two things 1. Some coach at Missouri said that Trotter got a lot better in pass coverage at the end of the year. Is that something you noticed? 2. Does Trotter have the requisite athleticism/flexibility/speed to ever be a true 3 down linebacker?

Had Josiah Trotter lower than the Bucs did. Went back 2 the tape 2 👀 what they 👀 — answer: his blitzing & pass rush ability is a perfect scheme fit. Potential linchpin 4 the ‘26 D. I still laid out where my eval differs & why it’s not a slam dunk. Link 👇

@evan_AtoZ Tanked normally means something bad….

yeeeaaaa the commanders tanked this draft.

@BucsDistrict Well….3 of 4 rounds. There’s one pick (cough Trotter cough) that was a reach by about a round on the consensus board

Jason Licht is hitting the consensus board steals this year.

@JCAllenNFL Like it

Bucs Fans how are we feeling about newest Krewe member WR Ted Hurst??!!

@JYarcho_BUCS Literally exactly what I was thinking as they kept putzing around in their own zone

@mauger345 Montreal looked in this OT the way the Lightning did in the last one

Damnit, Bolts

@zmagrini @DatdudeChi @JoshQueipo_NFL Yeah, I really don’t understand that. Should rookie LBs just not be counted on? Then don’t take one in the 2nd round

@DatdudeChi @JoshQueipo_NFL You know Fred Warner was amazing in coverage in college and still took him a bit to catch on in the NFL? He was lightyears ahead of Trotter in coverage. Not sure what you’re getting at..

Trotter is not KJ Britt 2.0. Please stop this narrative.

@JoshQueipo_NFL I saw you said “ceiling to develop”. What type of ceiling

@JoshQueipo_NFL Based on what you saw do you think he has the athletic profile to ever be someone that offensive coordinators don’t constantly isolate and hunt in the pass game?

Trotter has been a Bucs target and at a position of need. Just 21 years old and a natural Mike. He’s a natural compliment to Alex Anzalone. He’s a value-add as a blitzer. And works best moving forward as a hammer. He’s still figuring it out in coverage is putting it nicely.

@JoshQueipo_NFL @Gpking101 He didn’t run a 40 anywhere. He’s quoting the AI which says “4.32-4.49”

@Gpking101 I haven't seen any legit reporting on his 40. Didn't run at Pro Day or Combine I believe. Where did you find that?

@LedyardNFLDraft Jon, really respect your opinion…what do you think of Trotter over Allen/Golday? Obviously run defense is a plus and he can blitz but using the 45th pick on someone who was a liability in coverage in college seems like a bad allocation of resources

@evan_AtoZ That speaks more to how bad the LB room is now… I mean, why would they take Trotter over Allen/Golday/even Anthony Hill? Bowles seems to love these LBs that can be easily isolated and picked on in coverage by any smart offensive coordinator

@mauger345 They have a cover guy in Anzalone. Trotter shouldn’t be expected to cover in year 1 and he’s better than Voss, already.

Josiah Trotter is a very nice complement to Alex Anzalone and can be an impactful, two-down player, early-on. Yes, he needs to work on his coverage skills, but he'll have time to do just that. A very good pick by the Bucs, especially with Jacob Rodriguez off the board.

@evan_AtoZ 62nd on the consensus big board. 69th on the “expert” board on The Athletic. Basically reached a full round for a guy that Louis Riddick acknowledged had 3rd down and “foot speed” issues in college. I have no idea how this is a good pick ahead of Allen and Golday

@JCAllenNFL It’s a very bad pick. Would have been a good 3rd round pick

Bucs Nation!!! How are we feeling about LB Josiah Trotter in round 2??!!!

@JCAllenNFL It’s the 2nd round. What a trash pick

There it is! With the 46th pic in the 2026 NFL Draft the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select…. Missouri LB Josiah Trotter. Trotter was my best fit in the third round and my third round selection in my final mock

@JCAllenNFL What about Aveion Terrell?

One pick away either CJ Allen or Josiah Trotter or both could be available