Eagles fans will be thrilled if fifth-round draft pick can match his father's impact

Philadelphia Eagles fans will be ecstatic if their fifth-round pick can have the same impact on the franchise that his father did.

With the No. 155 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles selected linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. from Clemson. If that name sounds familiar, there's a good reason for that, as Trotter Jr. is the son of legendary Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, who was drafted by Philadelphia in the third round of the draft in 1998.

The elder Trotter played eight seasons for the Eagles over three seperate stints, and to say that he left his mark on the organization would be an understatement. He was named to four Pro Bowls as an Eagles, and he was officially elected into the Eagles Hall of Fame in 2016.

"Jeremiah Trotter embodies everything we strive for as an organization," Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said at the time. "He was an emotional and inspirational player who captured the hearts of our fans. As an anchor of our defense, he led with an immeasurable amount of toughness and a fiery attitude."

In all, Trotter tallied 1,065 total tackles, 35 passes defensed, 12.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles, eight interceptions and three fumble recoveries in 127 career regular season and postseason games (106 starts) with the Eagles.

Big shoes to fill for Trotter Jr.

Obviously, those are some pretty big shoes to fill for the younger Trotter, but in reality no one is expecting him to turn into his dad. But, if he can channel some of the intensity and fire that his father played with, his selection could turn out to be an excellent one for Philadelphia.

Still, comparisons to his father will be inevitable for Trotter Jr., especially now that he's an Eagle, and he doesn't plan to shy away from them.

"I've never been the type to shy away from being the son of Jeremiah Trotter," Trotter said earlier this year. "I appreciate him. He's always taught me a lot about the linebacker position and he's really helped me get to this point today."

During the NFL Scouting Combine this year, Trotter Jr. said that it would be a "blessing" to follow in his father's footsteps and play for the Eagles. Now, he'll get an opportunity to do just that.