Edge rusher Derrick Moore gets to stay home in Michigan and continue to improve alongside Aidan Hutchinson. It's an almost picturesque result for the Detroit Lions, as the team managed to add a second Michigan pass rusher to their line in order to finally address that room, in some way.
However, just because it's a nice, fitting story, it doesn't mean that draft experts are totally sold on the pick overall.
Moore, who landed with the Lions at 44th overall following a small trade up in Round 2 with the New York Jets, might not have been the best available pass rusher at that spot in the draft. Players like Zion Young and Gabe Jacas were still on the board for the Lions to snag, and those are two rushers with a bit more pop on their tape compared to that of Moore's.
That could explain why there's such a mixed bag amongst analysts regarding this pick.
Analysts iffy about Moore pick
Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame gave the pick a B, writing that Detroit is likely "hoping" to have found their answer at EDGE2 in Moore. Yahoo Sports' Charles McDonald is lower on the pick than Verderame, giving it a grade of C+.
"Moore doesn’t play with great technique but he doesn’t get moved much off the ball. Moore is NFL strong and already has the size necessary to compete in the league. He has a ways to go in terms of consistent technique, but he’s got a chance," wrote McDonald.
USA Today's Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz gave the Lions one of the lowest grades for Moore, a C-, with his reason being that snagging Moore after a trade up felt too rich for his value.
"Well, Dan Campbell certainly has a type. Moore is ultra-physical and persistent, and he can be counted on to hold up against both the run and pass. But he might not be sufficiently dynamic to finish off plays in the backfield beyond clean-up work. This felt a bit high for him, especially in a trade-up scenario."
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A lot of the pushback on this pick seems to come from a place of worry over just how technically sound Moore will be in Year 1, especially as it feels like he'll be getting a good chunk of snaps in relief of Aidan Hutchinson (and potentially D.J. Wonnum).
In a way, this pick doesn't necessarily address the concerns lying ahead for Detroit regarding their ability to consistently get to the quarterback and defend the run at the line of scrimmage. Moore still has refining to do, and the Lions aren't in a position to be patient within a competitive NFC North.
If Hutchinson and Wonnum play well alongside one another, it changes the math a bit on this pick. It goes from a reach, to some, to a worthy investment. As of now, though, it does feel like the Lions are in a decent spot through two days of the draft. They addressed their biggest holes, and can now focus on adding potentially valuable depth on Day 3, where they hold six picks.
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