The Lions get the edge rusher we always felt was perfect for them in Michigan’s Derrick Moore – Breaking down the risk, rewards, and scouting report
We mocked Moore to the Lions in probabl7 97% of our mock drafts this year because it always made a ton of sense for them
The Detroit Lions finally have their edge rusher that their fans have been waiting for, for a long time. They selected Michigan edge rusher Derrick Moore with the 44th pick after trading up in the 2026 NFL Draft.
This one has made sense for a while in terms of finding an edge that both fits the culture and the team’s defensive philosophy. Let’s break down the risk, rewards, and the scouting report.
The Rewards for the Lions with Derrick Moore
We’ve talked a lot about players who can do more than one thing and how important it is to the Lions. Moore is one of those guys. Not only did he put up 41 pressures, 11 sacks, and a 92.4 pass rush grade, but he also graded out at 76.3 against the run.
Moore can bull rush guys, and he has some moves to go with it. But the thing the Lions might love about him the most is his unselfish play. Moore is looking for the ball, and it doesn’t matter if he’s the first or second guy there; he’s going to get there in the run game. Either that or he’s going to make sure someone else can. Aidan Hutchinson would be able to take advantage of this. As would Alim McNeill.
The Risks for the Lions with Derrick Moore
We mentioned some moves, but Moore is going to need to grow his moveset more in the league to be a little better against NFL tackles. There’s also some inconsistency in his anticipation of what his opponent is going to do. The good news is that these things are coachable.
There’s the injury stuff. He hasn’t missed a lot of games, but he did miss the NFL Combine with a hamstring injury and missed a game his junior year with a knee sprain. Nothing crazy, but you hope it’s not the beginning of something new.
The Scouting Report
- Player: Derrick Moore
- Position: Edge
- School: Michigan
- Birthdate: 12/6/2002
- Age: 23
- Career Projection: Eventual good starter
“Derrick Moore wasn’t the most productive edge defender in terms of sacks until his final season with Michigan, but the physical traits have always been there. At 6-4, 255 pounds, Moore looks like a perfect modern prototype who can run-fit, set the edge, and get after the passer well. He needs to add more pass rush moves to his arsenal if he wants to take his game to the next level as a pro, but Moore proved he could get to opposing passers with a few trustworthy go-to moves in 2025.”
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