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Lions expert has team taking a swing on a local prospect with a premium pick

The Detroit Lions could land a local product in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
ByCaden Handwork|
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Michigan's Derrick Moore, left, celebrates a sack with Troy Bowles during the fourth quarter in the game against Michigan State on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.
Michigan's Derrick Moore, left, celebrates a sack with Troy Bowles during the fourth quarter in the game against Michigan State on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2026 NFL Draft is approaching fast, and Detroit Lions fans are eager to see what general manager Brad Holmes has been cooking up for this year’s selections. After a free agency period that has left Lions fans with mixed feelings, Detroit is looking to have another productive draft that puts them in the best possible position to return to the postseason. 

According to The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner’s latest NFL Draft predictions for the first 100 picks, the Detroit Lions are projected to take a local product, Michigan Edge rusher Derrick Moore, with the No. 50 overall pick in the second round.

While he didn’t play with Aidan Hutchinson during his college career with the Michigan Wolverines from 2022 to 2026, the Lions could have another product from Ann Arbor as a part of their pass rush. 

How Derrick Moore would fit in with the Lions

In his four seasons with the Wolverines, along with winning the national championship in his sophomore year, Moore collected 95 total tackles, 21 sacks, and three forced fumbles. Over the last two seasons, Lions fans have been desperate for Detroit to improve its pass rush in addition to Hutchinson. 

Moore could be that piece that could help the Lions' pass rush improve, and as a local college product, many fans will love this selection by Detroit. During free agency, the Lions added two other Edge rushers that fans hope will help Detroit create more pressure on the opposing team’s quarterback next season, an aspect of its defense that was nonexistent throughout 2025. 

READ MORE: NFL execs remain unfazed by Lions' free agency moves (and that's a problem)

The Lions added former Carolina Panthers edge rusher DJ Wonnum and Payton Turner to the New Orleans Saints, signing them both to one-year deals. The signings came as a replacement for edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad's services, as he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason.  

If the Lions choose to select Moore with the No. 50 overall pick in the draft, it’ll be interesting to see how he fits into Detroit’s pass rush plans, especially with the arrival of both Wonnum and Turner this season. 

After a 9-8 overall record in 2025, which included a last-place finish in the NFC North after winning two consecutive division titles, the Lions are aiming to return to the playoffs, with a hopefully healthy and productive defense. Adding depth at a position of need should never be off the table for Holmes.

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