One Michigan Defender Predicted to Team Up With Aidan Hutchinson in Detroit

Could the Lions take a Wolverine?

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The 2026 NFL Draft is less than a month away and there are mixed reviews regarding where Michigan players may go on draft night. At one point in time, it appeared that edge rusher Derrick Moore was going to be the first Wolverine off the board, but as time has passed, his stock appears to be falling.

While Moore's draft stock could be dropping, another Michigan player is rising.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., Jordan Reid, and Field Yates came out with an updated three-round mock draft. The trio predicted edge rusher Jaishawn Barham to come off the board first — while staying in Michigan.

With the 50th pick in the draft, the trio predicted the Detroit Lions to take Barham and pair him with former Wolverine Aidan Hutchinson.

"Detroit goes down the road to get a sudden defender who is still ascending after moving from linebacker to a full-time edge rusher role. Barham could help fill the void opposite Aidan Hutchinson."

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The interesting case of Jaishawn Barham

Barham is an interesting case as the NFL Draft approaches. There is no denying his explosiveness, his athletic ability, and the way he can disrupt an offense. But some teams aren't sure where Barham fits.

This was actually his first season as an edge rusher, after Michigan shifted him there early in the season. Barham was a middle linebacker when he transferred to Ann Arbor ahead of the 2024 season. He was second on the team in tackles that year, but Barham was too full of energy at times and would run past the ball carrier.

The move to switch him to edge worked out well for both parties. Jimmy Rolder and Cole Sullivan shined at linebacker, and Barham will likely be an NFL edge next season. In his first game as an edge rusher, Barham tallied two sacks against Central Michigan.

While he is raw, he is talented. Going to the Lions and learning from one of the best edge rushers in the NFL wouldn't be a bad thing for Barham. If he could put it all together, Hutchinson and Barham would be one tenacious duo.

One other Wolverine goes in the first three rounds

While Barham is certainly gaining steam on draft boards, Derrick Moore might be going in the opposite direction. The draft trio has Moore slipping to Round Three, where he gets picked by the Miami Dolphins with the No. 75 pick.

"Moore is an ascending, high-effort pass rusher who can play a significant number of snaps early even as he continues to develop. Miami cut Bradley Chubb and needs a burst off the edge."

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Moore had a great season at Michigan to finish his collegiate career. He was one of the top pass rushers in the Big Ten, sacking the QB 10 times. Moore also had an impressive week at the Senior Bowl.

I would expect to see him name start gaining some more steam as the NFL Draft approaches.