Most Concerning Question Mark Lions Face With Rookie Derrick Moore

Will Moore prove Lions right after team traded up to draft him?

Michigan edge Derrick Moore (8). | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions were assertive in going to get defensive end Derrick Moore.

In the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Lions moved up six spots in a trade to go select Moore, the pass-rusher out of Michigan. By doing this, the Lions added depth to their rotation of defensive ends.

Moore was mostly a rotational player at Michigan early in his career, before transitioning into a starting role in his final two seasons. In his final year with the Wolverines, Moore logged 10 sacks, and emerged as one of the better options in this year's draft class.

As he begins his professional career, there is optimism that he will be exactly what the team needs. He's shown he can rush the passer effectively, and has held his own in the run game throughout his college career as well.

However, the biggest question mark surrounding Moore is whether or not his style of pass-rush will translate to success at the professional level.

Moore is at his most effective when he's converting his speed to power, and against NFL offensive linemen, he may not have the same distinct athletic advantage that he had at times in college. Some pundits believe he could struggle to win this way at the NFL level.

Michigan aligned Moore in such a way that it allowed him to have more space to win his 1-on-1 matchups, and with the Lions already having Aidan Hutchinson, they may not be as inclined to do so.

The result could be challenging from a schematic perspective, as NFL Draft analyst Trevor Sikkema pointed out when the team made the pick.

"You have to look at how players win in college, and think about how that translates to the NFL. If you win with strength but you're not a super big guy, it's gonna be hard at the NFL level," Sikkema said. "Specifically for Derrick Moore, he converts speed to power really well on his tape, but Michigan lines him up in those wide-seven alignments where he has that runway to create speed to power. You don't get that as much at the NFL level, especially in Detroit's system."

It will be intriguing to see how defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard utilizes Moore in his debut season. Free agent signing D.J. Wonnum has the look of an ideal complementary piece opposite of Hutchinson due to his physicality and run-stuffing ability.

This could, in a way, be a blessing for Moore. Last season, Hutchinson played 91 percent of the team's defensive snaps throughout the season. While he's no doubt a difference-making player that is capable of shouldering this workload, the Lions may find it ideal to get him a breather and take some of that load off in 2026.

As a result, Moore could wind up being more of a pass-rush specialist for the Lions to begin his career. If he's able to succeed in those situations, he'll no doubt earn a bigger role.

Heading into his first NFL season, Moore faces questions about whether or not he can be effective with his pass-rush style. As a result, eyes will be on him to see whether or not the Lions made the right call in trading up for him.