Jimmy Rolder sees massive upside for himself in NFL with Detroit Lions

As a baseball player, Jimmy Rolder was a power-hitting third baseman who committed to Illinois his sophomore year of high school.

“Hitting was my specialty,” Rolder said.

As a football player, the Detroit Lions’ newest linebacker is pretty good at that, too.

The Lions took Rolder with the 18th pick of the fourth round of Saturday’s NFL draft, No. 118 overall, adding the Michigan standout to a defense includes two other high-profile Wolverines.

Michigan linebacker Jimmy Rolder (30) celebrates a Michigan State turnover during the first half at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing on Saturday, October 25, 2025.

The Lions traded up to take Rolder's Michigan teammate, Derrick Moore, in the second round of the draft, and count ex-Wolverines pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson as one of their best players.

Rolder said the Lions' draw to Michigan defenders is obvious.

"I think just the way we play," Rolder said Saturday afternoon. "At Michigan, the way we play defense, we held our hat on playing physical, playing tough, playing with high effort and that’s what you’re going to get out of a Michigan defender like Derrick Moore and like myself."

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