Michigan football players who could become first round selections in the 2026 NFL Draft

Michigan has had at least one first-round pick in every NFL Draft since 2019. The Wolverines had three players go in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft, but will that trend continue next season? Although the college football season is months out, NFL Draft analysts are already looking ahead to next April's draft. In multiple 'way-too-early' mock drafts, there are zero Michigan players mocked in the first round -- while there are two that have an unexpected Wolverine.

Which Wolverines could find themselves becoming first-round selections in the 2026 NFL Draft? Here is our list of candidates.

Edge Derrick Moore

The most likely Wolverine to go in Round 1 is Derrick Moore, in my opinion. Scouts will love his 6-foot-3, 250-pound frame. Moore is quick off the ball, and if he can demonstrate even better pass-rushing skills, he could become the first Michigan player off the board next season. Moore came back to Michigan after finishing third on the team with four sacks. If he can get that number up to around eight, that would likely get the former four-star recruit into Round 1.

LB Jaishawn Barham

Jaishawn Barham is the most impressive physical specimen you're going to find on the football field. He is fast, big, and will get to the ball carrier quickly. Michigan has thrown around the idea of moving Barham to edge to show off his pass-rushing skills. Barham was second on the team with 66 tackles last season. If he can become a little more patient in 2025 in terms of not blowing past his assignment and show those pass-rushing skills, Barham might become a no-brainer first-round selection.

S Rod Moore

Moore could've been the first safety off the board in the 2025 NFL Draft if he didn't suffer a season-ending injury last spring. Moore was 7th on the Wolverines' defense in tackles in 2023; a defense that featured Junior Colson, Mike Sainristil, Michael Barrett, and Mason Graham, among others. But Moore will have to prove he's healthy. Assuming he does just that, he will star in the Michigan secondary, and that alone could get Moore picked towards the end of Round 1.

CB Jyaire Hill

Unless Jyaire Hill has a superb 2025 season, he might be back in Ann Arbor in 2026. But after seeing Hill as a projected top-15 pick in next April's 2026 NFL Draft, we had to put him in this list. The junior corner was burned a few times last season, and he had an up-and-down year. He was benched toward the end of the season and had to switch jersey numbers for reasons unknown. But in 2025, Michigan is going to rely on both Hill and Zeke Berry at corner, and Hill will have all the opportunities in the world to show he is a first-round caliber player.

DT Rayshaun Benny

Since 2019, five Michigan defensive linemen have been picked in the first round. After coming back for a fifth year, Rayshaun Benny won't be battling anyone to start. Cemented into the starting lineup, Benny will show why he was highly touted coming out of high school. Even sitting behind guys like Mazi Smith, Kris Jenkins, Mason Graham, and Kenneth Grant, Benny has done quite well in Ann Arbor. If Benny can continue to be a force against the run, and get to the QB a few times in 2025, he could find his way into the first round.

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