Lions trade up, draft edge rusher Derrick Moore

After bolstering the offensive line with the selection of Blake Miller in Thursday's first round of the NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions turned to the other side of the football in Friday's second round with the selection of Michigan edge rusher Derrick Moore.

Detroit moved up from No. 50 overall to No. 44 to select Moore, sending the New York Jets picks No. 50 and No. 128 in return.

A two-year starter at Michigan, Moore is coming off a 2025 season in which he notched 30 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks while forcing two fumbles.

The selection of Moore fills a big need for Detroit's defense as he should compete with recently signed veteran DJ Wonnum for playing time opposite Aidan Hutchinson.

Michigan had a deep defensive line rotation with Moore averaging less than 40 reps per game, but he was still one of the most productive pass rushers in the country with a pressure percentage of 17.5, which was tops in the Big Ten Conference.

Moore has good size at 6-foot-3, 255 pounds with long arms (33 3/8) and a good feel for game, especially as a versatile pass rusher. He sets a physical edge in the run game, which is a prerequisite for playing meaningful snaps in Kelvin Sheppard's defense. Moore could have an instant impact as a rookie as part of Detroit's edge rusher rotation.

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