The Miami Dolphins could thank Maryland football head coach Mike Locksley someday for offering recently-drafted defensive back Dante Trader Jr. though he already had a lacrosse commitment with the Terrapins.
Trader excelled at lacrosse as an All-American in 2023 as midfielder while he also played football since the sports took place during different times of year. The Dolphins’ recent fifth-round draft pick narrowed it to the gridiron in 2024.
“It was more I had a shot to go to the league,” Trader told reporters on April 26. “I talked to my coaches, but ultimately it was just my body.”
“Playing 18 straight months in two sports is hard on the body and the mind,” Trader added. “To set myself up to be in the best position to get my name called like I did today, I had to take the summer off, the spring off to just be meshing with my team and just get my body right. So it was more of a body perspective.”
Trader already excelled on the football field at that point. He had back-to-back seasons of 53 or more tackles and two interceptions.
Trader capped his college career with 59 tackles, an interception, an four pass deflections last season for Maryland.
Dante Trader Sees the Field Different from Other Defensive Backs
GettyDante Trader Jr. played lacrosse for the Terps in 2023.
Pro Football Focus gave Trader a 68.4 overall grade ahead of the draft, but he brings unique experience to the field from his time playing lacrosse at a high level.
“I would say physically I had to cover on an island. There is a lot more space for lacrosse,” Trader said. “Just being able to move and then change of direction. So I have the short-area quickness that DBs need. And I would say a skill that I didn’t realize until the back end is the mental part of the game.”
“So just going two sports allowed me to be resilient and nothing can really bother me and get to me,” he added. “Also lacrosse is very mental, kind of like a baseball game. You get in slumps and you control the ball; your play gets exposed.”
Trader played defense often in his role on the Terrapins lacrosse team, and he earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors twice. He also created offense amid five goals and two assists in 15 games played.
“In football you can be nervous and be not so good and there are 10 other people to cover up your mistakes,” Trader said. “So just being able to have the confidence you need to especially be a DB.”
“Like we get beat one time and we get called terrible. So you’ve got to be able to be next play mentality,” he added. “So I got the grit and mental fortitude from lacrosse.”
Dolphins Could Use Dante Trader on Special Teams
Trader could add both secondary and special teams depth to the Dolphins this year from his experience at Maryland.
“I’ve been a special teamer all of my life,” Trader said. “That’s how I got on the field as a freshman at Maryland. I was on the kick return, kickoff, punt, punt block, even on the hands team as a freshman.”
“Then as I got starting, my coach allows you only to be on two,” Trader added. “So I was on punt and punt block, and for us punt was nonnegotiable. I was like the wing adjuster, our is like ‘PP’ (personal protector) in an NFL-style punt. So it’ll be easy to be adjusted. You can win and lose games on special teams, so I’m all for special teams to get my way on the field. Any way I can affect the game.”
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