Football recruiting: St. Joseph’s Prep linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. commits to Clemson

Jeremiah Trotter Jr. announced on social media Saturday night that he has committed to Clemson.

The son of former Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, the younger Trotter is a 6-foot-1, 195-pound junior linebacker at St. Joseph’s Prep.

One of the highest-ranked linebackers in Pennsylvania by a number of recruiting websites, he also has offers from Tennessee, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Michigan State, Temple and Miami.

“I’d like to thank all the coaches and teams that have given me the opportunity to play college football for them,” Trotter wrote on Twitter and Instagram. “Although I am very excited and blessed to say I am 110% committed to the University of Clemson!”

Trotter had a real advantage growing up the son of a former NFL star. He and his younger brother, Josiah, have trained and learned the game from their father since their youth football days. It wasn’t until the younger Jeremiah got to the Prep that his father was able to just sit, watch, and enjoy his eldest son’s football career instead of coaching him.

Trotter gained more than 30 pounds between his freshman and sophomore years working out with his father. The elder Trotter, a Texas native, grew up chopping wood for his family business as his form of exercise. Two years ago, he took his sons back to Texas, using his experience as a professional to train them, teach them the game, and show them his roots.

Trotter Jr. said he doesn’t believe him yet, but the elder Trotter said the best Trotter wearing No. 54 has yet to come.

“Mark my words, he’s going to be twice as good as me,” Trotter said of Jeremiah Jr. "He’s already better than me. He’s already smarter than me when it comes to the game because he has me. I had the best dad in the world, but he didn’t play football. [Jeremiah Jr.] knows more about football now than I did my rookie year. "

Before Jeremiah Jr. was the one making highlights, he was watching them. He was about 12 when he first realized the presence "The Axe Man" had on the field, looking up his dad's YouTube highlights and being awestruck by a reel shown at one of his dad's speaking events.

“It was kind of surprising to see it,” Jeremiah Jr. said last year. "It was like 'This guy made that hit? ' Because he’s just ‘dad’ to me. "

Trotter is just the latest Prep football star to make headlines. Heading into the 2019 season, St. Joe’s boasted a handful of Division I-caliber players. Junior quarterback Kyle McCord is an Ohio State commit. Like Trotter, receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is a four-star recruit with offers from the best college teams in the nation.

Running back D'Andre Swift, who graduated in 2017, has played in a national championship game with the Georgia Bulldogs. Class of 2015 grad Olamide Zaccheaus is currently on the Atlanta Falcons after becoming a mainstay in the University of Virginia offense.

Both defensive back John Reid and offensive lineman Jon Runyan Jr. graduated in 2015 and have gone on to win all-Big Ten honors at Penn State and Michigan, respectively.