Days after being named a standout at his position during Senior Bowl practices, former Maryland safety Dante Trader Jr. was among the players highlighted by ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. as stock risers down in Mobile.
“Lacrosse player – high school and at Maryland as well. Only got second in tackles this year, third in tackles the year prior and second in tackles even back to 2022. Interceptions every year,” Kiper said on First Draft on Monday. “Two in 2022, two in 2023, one last year, breaking up passes and he's always around the ball and he doesn't miss open field tackles. Dante Trader Jr., pound-for-pound, was one of the best players in the Big Ten. And I think for Maryland, for the Terrapins, he was a guy that he screamed, ‘hey, look at me – why am I not getting more attention?’ And he's going to get it. There's no question he's going to get it in these months leading up to the draft. Based on people going back and watching him a lot closer from what they saw down there, and the fact that he's a multi-sport athlete. Another kid, he just loves the game. He's a competitor, and Dante Trader Jr. will have a nice career in the NFL. He's my ‘Orange Crusher’ because I just love his style of play because he shows up passionately to play this game and aggressively to play this game each and every week.”
Trader was also mocked to land in Minnesota in the third round of the NFL Draft as he, WR Tai Felton and DL Jordan Phillips look to become the first Terp to hear their name called in April.
Trader, a former three-star signee out of McDonogh (Md.) in the 2021 class, made his impact felt beyond the field as he transitioned into a key team leader during his final two seasons with the program. After teaming up with local product Beau Brade as the starting safety tandem for two seasons, Trader stepped into a leadership void on the defensive side of the ball through his senior season despite missing time due to injury in 2024.
Trader started in the last 35 games he was available and posted 174 tackles, 19 pass deflections, five interceptions and one forced fumble over his final three seasons. In his lone season suiting up for the lacrosse team in 2023, Trader appeared in all 16 games and ranked third on the team with 14 caused turnovers.
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