The Broncos’ draft picture is getting tighter, and josiah trotter has moved into the middle of that conversation. With no Round 1 pick and a Round 2 selection currently set at No. 62 overall, every evaluation now carries more weight than usual. A follow-up Zoom interview with Trotter adds another signal that Denver is doing more than casual scouting. It is searching for a player who could fit a need at inside linebacker while the front office balances immediate depth against longer-term upside.
Why the Broncos’ draft math is changing
The most important fact shaping Denver’s approach is simple: the team does not pick in Round 1. That makes the No. 62 slot especially valuable, because it is the first chance to add a player in a draft weekend that begins later this week. The Broncos’ decision-making is also being filtered through their offseason moves at linebacker. Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad were paid this offseason, which points to them as the starters, but the release of Dre Greenlaw left depth uncertain.
That is where josiah trotter becomes relevant. The Broncos have already followed up a formal combine interview with a Zoom conversation ahead of the draft. In isolation, that would not guarantee much. In context, it suggests Trotter remains firmly in view as the Broncos narrow their focus. For a team without a first-round cushion, that kind of continued contact often matters as much as a public mock draft placement.
josiah trotter as a Round 2 fit
Trotter’s production offers Denver a clear reason to keep him on the board. During the 2025 season at Missouri, he recorded 84 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and two sacks in 12 games. The year before, at West Virginia, he finished with 92 tackles and an interception. Those numbers show a player who has contributed in different settings and who has brought steady activity to the second level of the defense.
The Broncos’ interest is also being shaped by draft order rather than glamour. Offensive skill-position players may draw more headlines, but Denver’s current construction makes defensive depth harder to ignore. If the board breaks in a way that leaves josiah trotter available at No. 62, the fit is obvious enough to merit serious consideration. The question is not whether the Broncos need more bodies at inside linebacker; it is whether they see Trotter as the right one to take under the pressure of a Round 2 pick.
What the follow-up interview signals
Follow-up meetings usually matter because they sharpen the team’s read on a prospect’s fit, role, and readiness. In this case, the Zoom interview suggests Denver wants another look before the draft clock starts working against them. The Broncos are said to have focused in on six players, and Trotter could be one of them. That does not lock in a final decision, but it does place him inside a shorter list rather than on the edges of the board.
For Sean Payton and general manager George Paton, the issue is not just talent; it is timing. Denver will finally be on the clock Friday, after sitting out the first round, and the front office has to decide whether this is the moment to reinforce the defense. josiah trotter fits the kind of evaluation process that teams often use when they expect a player to be available near their draft range and want to reduce uncertainty before the pick is made.
Expert view and broader draft implications
There is also a broader draft layer here. The Broncos’ situation shows how a team can be pushed toward practical roster-building when a premium pick is gone. Their Round 2 slot is now carrying more of the burden normally spread across the first two days. That raises the stakes on every interview, every fit check and every internal ranking.
One published draft note from had already linked Trotter to Denver earlier, and the latest Zoom follow-up adds to that pattern. The combined picture is not a guarantee, but it is a meaningful paper trail. It suggests the Broncos are not just looking for a player at inside linebacker; they are looking for the right balance of production, availability and roster fit.
The regional ripple effect for Denver
If Denver uses No. 62 on a player like josiah trotter, the decision would say a lot about how the franchise views this draft class. It would mean the Broncos are prioritizing a position that can stabilize the defense, even as other areas of the roster may draw louder public attention. It would also reflect confidence that the team can still find offensive help later if needed.
That kind of choice can shape more than one weekend. It affects how the defense is built, how depth is managed and how the rest of the draft board is read on Friday. In that sense, the Broncos’ Zoom follow-up with josiah trotter is not just a procedural note; it is a small but revealing sign of how Denver plans to use a limited set of picks. If the board falls their way, will they stay with the player they have already studied most closely?
