Detroit Lions select Michigan LB Jimmy Rolder No. 118 overall during 2026 NFL Draft

The Detroit to Ann Arbor pipeline remains strong, as the Detroit Lions have selected their second former Wolverine of the 2026 NFL Draft.

On the third day of the draft, the Lions selected Michigan linebacker Jimmy Rolder No. 118 overall in the fourth round, reuniting him with Derrick Moore, who was selected by the franchise in the second round on Friday.

A member of the Wolverines’ 2023 national championship squad, Rolder fought through various injuries during the early part of his career, coupled with a loaded depth chart, which impacted his on-field experience.

In two years as a starter, Rolder appeared in 24 games and saw a breakout season in 2025, in which he finished with a career-high 73 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 pass deflections and one interception and fumble recovery.

It wasn’t until the NFL Combine that Rolder made some noise, consistently ranking among the best at his position in various drills, which led to his draft stock rising from a draft hopeful to a third-day lock.

Rolder is the fourth Wolverine to be selected in the draft, joining Moore, Marlin Klein (Houston Texans) and Jaishawn Barham (Dallas Cowboys) to hear their names called.