Detroit Lions draft Michigan linebacker Jimmy Rolder

What's better than drafting one Wolverine? How about drafting two?

Once upon a time, the teams that had a strong Michigan football bent in the NFL draft were the Dallas Cowboys and the Cincinnati Bengals, as both franchises tended to look heavily to Ann Arbor for their influx of talent. The Cowboys might not have a lot of maize and blue on their current team, but they did add with Jaishawn Barham in the third round this year. The Bengals have ton of former Wolverines still on their roster.

The Detroit Lions appear to be taking to the hometown school more lately, with edge rusher Derrick Moore was selected in the second round. The Lions apparently went back to the Ann Arbor well, having picked linebacker Jimmy Rolder with the No. 118 pick in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL draft.

Rolder departed Ann Arbor with one more season of eligibility under his belt. Beloved by Wink Martindale and the defensive coaching staff, he was highly thought of, but injuries and a crowded depth chart precluded him from reaching his full potential at the college level.

With Alex Anzalone having departed Detroit, the Lions were in grand need of finding some successors at the position. Rolder played 12 games for Michigan this past season and led the Wolverines with 73 tackles. He also had two sacks, seven tackles for loss, and an interception this past season.