JoJo Trader | WR | Miami (FL) | 2027 NFL Draft Eligible
Joshisa “JoJo” Trader is one of the most exciting athletes in this 2024 freshman class, primed to make some noise in Year 1 for the Miami Hurricanes. He’s one of my personal favorite Devy WRs to target, as I feel this is a player who could develop into a true NFL superstar down the road. Let’s dive into JoJo’s high school resume to find out what his game is all about.
High School
JoJo first made a name for himself as a sophomore for Miami Central, helping the Rockets win a 5A state championship. In six games for Miami Central, Trader compiled 26 receptions for 592 yards and six touchdowns: pretty impressive work for an underclassman.
Following his sophomore season, Trader transferred to Chaminade-Madonna Prep School in Hollywood, FL, playing for the #2 ranked high school football program in the country. Trader played alongside none other than Jeremiah Smith, incoming freshman phenom for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Unsurprisingly, Smith was Chaminade’s leading receiver over their final two seasons, but Trader was no slouch. As a junior, Trader totaled 50 receptions for 782 yards and eight touchdowns. He also found some success throwing the football, completing both of his pass attempts for 106 yards and a touchdown.
As a senior, Trader had a similar stat line: 47 receptions for 757 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was also 2-2 through the air, throwing for 50 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Trader clearly has the athleticism and skill set to be utilized in a number of creative ways, including trick plays.
JoJo was ranked as a 4-star prospect across all four major recruiting platforms. ESPN rated him most highly as the WR6 overall in this class. Trader helped lead Chaminade to back-to-back state titles, meaning he won three state championships during high school. He’s a winner through and through. His individual accolades include MaxPreps All-America honors and a selection to the Under Armour All-America game.
College Projections
Trader has some decent competition he’ll be facing in Year 1 for the Hurricanes. Miami has their top two pass-catchers returning, Xavier Restrepo and Jacolby George. These two receivers combined for 142 receptions and 1,956 receiving yards in 2023, making up nearly 60% of the team’s receiving production. They’ve brought in fifth-year senior Samuel Brown, who amassed over 800 receiving yards for the Houston Cougars last season. Ray Ray Joseph and Isaiah Horton are two underclassmen looking to step into a more significant role in 2024. And finally, Miami has another 4-star freshman WR on this depth Chart, Ny Carr.
JoJo won’t be leading this Hurricane offense in any receiving statistics as a true freshman, but HC Mario Cristobal will have a hard time keeping this kid off the field, given how gifted an athlete he is. According to an article last week posted on CanesInsight, QB Cam Ward had some high praise for his freshman WR, saying, “JoJo’s elite, and he’s going to make a lot of plays this year. All I’ve got to do is put the ball in his vicinity, and he’s going to make the play”. Restrepo, George, and Brown could be gone once the 2025 season rolls around, opening up an opportunity for Trader to step into that alpha WR1 role and have a breakout season.
Devy/Dynasty Value
There’s no question that, between all the wide receivers on this Miami depth chart, JoJo has the highest ceiling from a Devy and Dynasty perspective. Ny Carr is an excellent prospect in his own right, but he doesn’t have the same elite ceiling that Trader possesses. JoJo could very well become a Top 5 Devy WR by 2025, and what’s most exciting about his game is that you don’t have to squint hard to see it translating well to the NFL level. Trader is listed at 6’1″ and 180 lbs but plays with plenty of strength and burst. He’s a tremendous weapon out on the perimeter and in open space, has soft hands, and is already a nuanced route runner. He’s really the complete package.
Regarding draft capital, I’d be willing to take Trader as early as the fourth round in Devy Superflex drafts. I’d list him as my WR5 in this class, behind Jeremiah Smith, Micah Hudson, Ryan Williams, and Cam Coleman. Who knows what kind of ridiculous stat line Trader could have posted if he hadn’t had to share the field with Jeremiah Smith in high school? I believe this kid is supremely talented and will be an eventual first-round pick in the NFL Draft. Obviously, you have to show some patience if you’re drafting JoJo in your Devy startups, as he isn’t eligible to declare until 2027. But when the time comes, I think he’ll be a Top 5 WR in an impressive class and could be a first-round value in Dynasty Superflex rookie drafts.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope you got some valuable information you can use for your fantasy team! If you’d like additional insight into Dynasty Football news and analysis, please follow me on Twitter at @jim_DFF. Until next time, keep grinding out there, DFF family! #DFFArmy #AlwaysBeBuilding
